UMASS/AMHERST 


315Dt,bDDSaSSDfl7 


mmm 


mm  ■  ^ 


iiiiiiiiiii 


iiiil; 


■■I;i-"     .■   ■    •    i!        (         ;  ; 


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EXPERIMENTAL  WORK 

CONDUCTED 
AT    THE    RHODE    ISLAND    EXPERIMENT   STATION 

WITH    THE 

NITRATE  OF  SODA, 

OR 

CHILE  SALT-PETER 

AS    A 

KBRTILIZBR 


UPON 


ACID  SOILS 


CHARLES    O.    FLAGG. 


1898. 


ONZ  &  CO.,   PRINTERS,   1   BOWLING  GREEN,   NEW  YORK. 


PREFACE. 

THE  results  of  the  experimental  work  somewhat  briefly  set  forth 
in  the  following  pages,  are  based  upon  experiments  conducted 
by  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  at  Kingston,  Rhode  Island, 
U.  S.  A.,  upon  its  own  grounds,  and  in  co-operation  with  farmers  in 
different  sections  of  the  state,  during  the  years  from  1890  to  1897  in- 
clusive, when  the  writer  was  Director  of  the  Station. 

In  planning  the  experiments,  and  executing  the  details  of  the 
work,  the  highest  credit  is  due  to  H.  J.  Wheeler,  Ph.  D.,  Chemist  of 
the  Station  ;  J.  D.  Towar,  B.  S  ,  George  M.  Tucker,  B.  S.,  and  J.  L. 
Tillinghast,  assistants  to  the  Director  in  the  Agricultural  Division  ; 
B.  L.  Hartwell,  B.  S.,  and  Chas.  L.  Sargent,  B.  S.,  Assistant  Chemists  ; 
and  Geo.  E.  Adams,  B.  S.,  Photographer,  as  well  as  a  number  of 
farmers  who  heartily  supplemented  the  work  of  the  Station  in  connec- 
tion with  experiments  planned  for  their  respective  farms. 

These  experiments  have  formed  a  portion  of  the  regular  scientific 
work  prosecuted  by  the  Experiment  Station,  and  a  detailed  account  of 
them  has  been  published  in  the  Annual  Reports  and  Bulletins  issued 
by  the  Rhode  Island  Experiment  Station  while  I  was  Director,  and 
from  which  I  have  made  frequent  extracts.  All  the  cuts  used  to  illus- 
trate this  pamphlet  have  appeared  in  connection  with  the  above  named 
Reports  and  Bulletins,  and  we  are  indebted  to  the  Experiment  Station 
for  the  privilege  of  their  reproduction  in  this  connection. 

As  the  work  has  progressed  and  results  have  accumulated,  the 
superior  value  of  nitrate  of  soda  as  a  nitrogenous  manure,  especially 
when  used  upon  acid  soils,  has  become  more  and  more  evident. 
The  numerous  and  somewhat  intricate  conditions  which  govern  the 
processes  of  nitrification,  and  the  natural  formation  of  nitrates  within 
the  soil,  as  demonstrated  in  comparatively  recent  years  by  biologists, 
serve  as  scientific  pointers  to  the  reasons  for  its  superior  action  upon 
many  soils. 


The  intelligent  reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  nitrate  of  soda  will 
not  do  everything.  Potash  and  phosphoric  acid  must  be  supplied, 
unless  provided  by  nature,  if  one  would  harvest  profitable  crops,  and 
if  a  soil  is  so  acid  as  to  render  the  growth  of  many  farm  crops,  especially 
during  their  infancy,  impossible,  such  a  condition  must  be  corrected  by 
the  use  of  carbonate  of  lime,  or  in  some  other  way,  before  bountiful 
crops  can  be  harvested. 


Kingston,  R.  I.,  Sept.  i,  li 


(^a^f<).^^'<y^ 


THE  USE  OF  NITRATE  OF  SODA  IN  CONNECTION 

WITH    SOME    EXPERIMENTS    IN 

RHODE  ISLAND. 


DURING  the  winter  of  1889  and  '90,  the  writer,  as  Director  of  the 
Rhode  Island  Experiment  Station  at  Kingston,  solicited  the 
co-operation  of  farmers  in  dififerent  parts  of  the  State  in  a  trial  of 
various  fertilizing  materials,  for  the  following  three-fold  purpose  : 

1.  That  of  learning,  if  possible,  in  what  elements  some  of  the 
soils  of  the  State  are  especially  lacking. 

2.  For  testing  the  relative  fertilizing  value  of  nitrogen  in  the 
various  nitrogen  compounds,  such  as  nitrate  of  soda,  sulfate  of  am- 
monia and  dried  blood. 

3.  To  learn  something,  if  possible,  of  the  probable  profit  or  loss 
from  large  and  small  applications  of  nitrogen  to  the  Indian  corn 
crop.i 

The  general  plan  of  the  experiments  was  one  adopted  by  Prof. 
W.  O.  Atwater  in  Connecticut,  and  the  work  was  laid  out  and  con- 
ducted the  first  year  by  the  station  chemist,  Dr.  H.  J.  Wheeler,  and 
the  remaining  three  years  by  the  Director's  assistant,  Mr.  J.  D.  Lowar. 
From  twenty-one  offers  of  land  by  farmers  for  experimental  purposes, 
ten,  which  fairly  represented  the  different  sections  and  soils  of  the  State, 
were  selected.  A  field  at  the  Experiment  Station  made  the  number 
eleven.  One  acre  of  land  was  used  in  each  experiment,  and  so  selected 
as  to  be,  so  far  as  possible,  of  a  uniform  quality.  Each  acre  was  divided 
into  twenty  plots,  laid  out,  wherever  practicable,  with  an  unfertilized 
space  of  three  feet  at  least  between  the  plots  and  along  the  ends. 

Plots  7  to  15  (T,  inclusive,  were  devoted  to  the  second  problem,  viz., 
that  of  obtaining  more  information  upon  the  relative  fertilizing  value 

1  For  a  detailed  account  of  these  experiments  see  "  Third  Annual  Report  of 
the  R.  I.  Experiment  Station,"  1890,  Part  II,  pages  39-107  ;  "Fourth  Annual 
Report"  do.,  1S91,  Part  II,  pages  35-81  ;  "Fifth  Annual  Report"  do.,  1892, 
Part  II,  pages  163-198,  and  "Sixth  Annual  Report"  do.,  1893,  Part  II,  pages 
196-207. 


6  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

of  nitrogen  in  its  various  combinations,  and  it  is  in  the  results  obtained 
from  these  plots  that  we  are  especially  interested  at  this  time.  These 
plots  received  like  amounts  of  potash  and  phosphoric  acid,  and  three 
groups  of  three  plots  each  were  set  apart  for  the  testing  of  nitrogen  in 
three  different  forms.  To  the  first  group,  plots  7,  8  and  9,  nitrate  of 
soda  was  applied.  The  second  group,  plots  10,  11  and  12,  received 
nitrogen  in  sidfate  of  ajnmonia  j  and  to  the  third  group,  plots  13,  14  and 
15,  nitrogen  was  applied  in  the  form  of  dried  blood. 

The  first  plot  in  each  series,  7,  10  and  13,  was  given  only  a 
"  \  ration  "  of  nitrogen  ;  the  second  plot  in  each  group  a  "|  ration," 
or  twice  as  much  as  the  first,  and  the  last  plot  a  "full  ration,"  or  three 
times  as  much  as  the  first. 

Great  care  was  used  in  applying  the  fertilizer  evenly  broadcast,  to 
each  plot,  and  in  harrowing  it  in,  that  it  should  not  be  dragged  over 
the  boundary  upon  the  unmanured  strips,  or  upon  the  adjoining  plots. 
White  flint  Indian  corn  was  planted  in  hills  three  feet  apart  in  the  row, 
and  the  rows  from  3  to  3^  feet  apart,  according  to  the  width  of  the 
plots  in  the  different  fields. 

As  the  experiment  was  continued  on  these  plots  from  two  to  four 
years,  we  will  briefly  outline  the  treatment  with  fertilizers  in  the 
several  years,  before  considering  the  individual  experiments. 

Mixed  Minerals. 

In  1890  the  "mixed  minerals"  used  upon  all  the  plots  from  7  to 
15  inclusive,  consisted  of  dissolved  bone  black  at  the  rate  of  350  pounds, 
and  muriate  of  potash  at  the  rale  of  150  pounds  per  acre,  at  a  total 
cost  of  $8.15.  These  materials  supplied  respectively  74.2  pounds  of 
total  phosphoric  acid  and  76.2  pounds  of  actual  potash  per  acre. 

In  addition  to  the  "  mixed  minerals,"  as  above,  nitrogen  was 
applied  to  the  plots  in  the  three  groups,  as  follows  : 

Nitrate  of  Soda  Group. 


Lbs.  per  Acre. 

Lbs.  Nitrogen. 

Cost  per  Acre, 
including  M.  M.  i 

Plot 

7, 

\      ration, 

150. 

25.0, 

$11  75 

(( 

8, 

2           11. 
3 

300. 

50-0, 

15-35 

(( 

9> 

Full    " 

45O' 

750. 

18.95 

^  Mixed  minerals  cost  $8.15  in  each  case. 


2  20, 

- 

25  0, 

- 

I12.00 

44°, 

- 

50.0, 

.    - 

15-85 

66o, 

- 

75-0, 

- 

19.70 

nitrate  of  soda  7 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia  Groups. 

.  ,       .,.  Cost  per  Arre, 

Lbs.  per  Acre.  Lbs.  Nitrosen.  including  M.  M.  t 

Plot  10,       I      ration,  -  112,  -  23.5,  -         $12.07 

"      II,       I  "  -  224,  -  47.0,  -  15.99 

"      12,       Full    "  -  336,  -  70.5,  -  19.91 

Dried  Blood  Group. 
Plot  13,       I      ration, 

14,       3 
"      15,       Full     " 

In  1891  the  "mixed  minerals"  applied  cost  at  the  rate  of  $7.44 
per  acre.  The  muriate  of  potash  was  a  little  stronger  in  actual  potash, 
and  the  quantity  used  was  reduced  from  150  to  130  pounds  per  acre, 
furnishing  73.1  pounds  actual  potash.  The  same  weight  of  dissolved 
bone-black,  350  pounds,  was  used,  but  afterward  was  found  to  be  low- 
in  phosphoric  acid,  so  that  only  52.2  pounds  of  total  phosphoric  acid 
were  applied  per  acre.  The  same  weights  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  dried 
blood  were  used  as  in  1890,  but  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  was  increased 
to  make  the  nitrogen  this  year  fully  equal  to  the  amount  in  the  other 
forms.  The  amounts  applied  to  the  full  ration  plots  were  as  follows, 
and  the  "one-third"  and  "tv/o-thirds  "  rations  were  proportional  : 

Lbs.  Nitrogen         Cost  includ- 
Lbs.  per  Acre.        p^f  Acre.  ing  M.  M.  3 

Plot    (),  Full  ration  Nit7'ate  of  Soda,  450,  68.4,  $18.24 

"      12,     "         "       Sulfate  of  Ammonia^  348,  69.9,  20.38 

"      15,     "         "       Dried  Blood,  660,  67.8,  18.99    ' 

In  1892,  as  potash  and  phosphoric  acid,  one  or  both,  seemed  to  be 
deficient  in  the  soil  in  most  cases,  and  in  order  that  there  might  be  no 
uncertainty  as  to  a  sufficient  supply  of  the  mineral  elements,  so  as 
profitably  to  use  all  the  nitrogen  supplied,  the  quantity  of  each  was 
considerably  increased.  The  dissolved  bone-black  was  increased  from 
350  to  600  pounds,  containing  93.18  pounds  of  total  phosphoric  acid 
per  acre,  and  the  muriate  of  potash  from  150  pounds  in  1890,  and  130 
in  1891  to  200  pounds,  which  supplied  just  100  pounds  of  actual  potash 

1  Mixed  minerals  cost  $8.15  in  each  case. 
-  Mixed  minerals  cost  $7.44. 


o  AS    A    FERTILIZER. 

per  acre.     The  two  together  as  "  mixed  minerals  "  cost  $12.20  per  acre. 
A  little  increase  was  also  made  in  the  nitrogen  applied  as  follows  : 

r  ,  ,  Lbs.  Nitrosren        Cost  includ- 

Lbs.  per  Acre.  ^^^  ^cre.  ing  M.  M.  i 

Plot    (),  Full  ration  Nitrate  of  Soda,  480,  75-17,  $23.48 

"       12,      "  "       Sulfate  of  Ammonia,   360,  74-92,  24.80 

"       15,      "  "      Dried  Blood,  690,  76.04,  24.28 

In  1893  the  weight  of  "mixed  minerals"  applied  remained  the 
same  as  in  1892,  but  a  little  difference  in  the  chemical  composition 
made  the  amount  of  actual  potash  applied  per  acre,  101.3  pounds, 
while  the  total  phosphoric  acid  remained  the  same,  viz.,  93.18  pounds. 
The  cost  per  acre  was  $12.60. 

The  dried  blood  contained  less  nitrogen  than  that  obtained  in  pre- 
vious years,  and  the  quantity  therefore  had  to  be  increased.  The  full 
ration  applications  were  as  follows  : 

-  ,  ,  Lbs.  Nitrogen        Cost  includ- 

Lbs.  per  Acre.  p^j.  ^cre.  ing  M.  M.  3 

Plot     ^,  Full  ration  Nitrate  of  Soda,  480,  74-4°,  $24.60 

"       12,     "  "        Sulfate  of  Anwionia,  360,  72.00,  26.10 

"      15,     "         "       Dried  Blood,  780,  67.08,  30.15 

A  glance  at  the  cost  per  acre  of  the  fertilizers  used  will  show  that 
each  year  of  the  experiments,  nitrate  of  soda  furnished  the  cheapest 
source  of  nitrogen.  The  following  table  shows  the  cost  per  acre  of 
the  fertilizer  applied  to  each  of  the  plots,  the  total  cost  per  acre  of  the 
four  applications  for  each  plot,  and,  finally,  the  total  cost  for  each  group 
(representing  three  acres  for  four  years).  In  each  group  $121.17  o^ 
the  cost  is  for  the  "  mixed  minerals,"  potash  and  phosphoric  acid,  and 
the  balance  of  the  amount  represents  the  cost  of  the  nitrogenous  fer- 
tilizer, which  for  nitrate  of  soda  was  $15.67  less  than  for  dried  blood, 
and  $11.70  less  than  for  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

1  Mixed  minerals  cost  $12.20  per  acre. 

2  Mixed  minerals  cost  $12.60  per  acre. 


Qa,  6i$,  6r  I 


AS    A    FERTILILER. 

COST  OF  FERTILIZERS. 


No. 
OF  Plot. 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 

TOTALS. 

Nitrate  of  Soda   Group. 

7 
8 

$11.75 
15.35 

$11.04 
14.64 

$15.96 
19.72 

$16.60 
20.60 

$55.35  )~ 
70.31  U2IO.93 

9 

18.95 

18.24 

23.48 

24.60 

85.27  ) 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia  Group. 

10 
11 

$12.07 
15.99 

$11.73 
16.02 

$16.40 
20.60 

$17.10 
21 .  60 

$57.30  ) 
74.21  I  $252.63 

13 

19.91 

20.31 

24.80 

26.10 

91.12^ 

Dried  Blood  Group. 

13 

14 

$12.00 
15.85 

$11.29 
15.14 

$16.23 
20.25 

$18.45 
24.30 

$57.97) 
75.54^226.63 

15 

19.70 

18.99 

24.28 

30.15 

93.12  1 

5.15 


Mixed  Mineral  Plots. 
$7.44       I       $12.20       I       $12.60 


.39 


Cost  of  "Mixed  Minerals"  for  each  group 


.39x3  =  $121.17. 


THE  FIELD  TRIALS. 

I.     KINGSTON,   R.   1. 
Experiment    Station  Farm. 

The  acre  selected  was  a  portion  of  the  alluvial  plain  land  at  the 
westerly  end  of  the  farm.  It  had  been  in  grass  for  many  years  and 
produced  hardly  hay  enough  to  pay  for  cutting.  The  surface  soil  was 
only  4  or  5  inches  deep,  sandy  loam  in  character,  underlaid  by  from 
2  to  4  feet  of  yellow  loam,  and  there  was  a  subsoil  below  that  of  open 
sand  and  gravel. 

We  give  below  the  yields  per  acre  of  hard  corn,  soft  corn  and 
stover  for  the  four  years  included  in  the  experiment. 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


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Notes  and  Conclusions. 


1890.  When  the  corn  was  about  15  inches  high,  the  better  color 
of  the  nitrate  of  soda  plots  began  to  be  noticeable,  and  the  same  con- 
tinued until  the  end  of  the  season.  The  sulfate  of  ammonia  plots, 
instead  of  improving  with  the  advance  of  the  season,  began  to  take  on 
a  sickly  yellow  appearance,  which  gradually  grew  worse,  until  just 
before  the  close  of  the  season,  when  a  slight  improvement  was  here 
and  there  noticeable.  The  greater  the  application  of  sulfate,  the  worse 
the  plots  appeared,  and  the  results  showed  a  decidedly  injurious  effect, 
the  crop  decreasing  with  the  increase  in  the  amount  applied.  The 
most  important  result  of  this  experiment  was  the  poisonous  effect  of 


Field  Cor.n  (Maize). 
PlotNos.  29.   Limed.     27.   Unlimed.        25.   Limed.       23.   Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

the  increasing  rations  of  sulfate  of  ammonia,  and  the  relatively  small 
yields  from  diied  blood.  The  results  were  doubtless  due  to  delayed 
and  only  partial  nitrification,  caused,  probably,  by  the  acidity  of  the 
soil  and  by  the  absence  of  carbonate  of  lime. 

The  7iitrate  of  soda  proved  much  the  superior  source  of  nitrogen  on  this 
soil,  as  the  average  of  the  three  plots  in  that  group  showed  an  excess 
in  yield  over  the  average  of  the  other  groups. 

1891.  The  ill  effect  of  sulfate  and  ammonia  continued.  "Phos- 
phoric   acid   was    most   lacking,  and    next   to    it   came  potash,  while 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


nitrogen  gave  financial  profits   only  when   used  in   combination   with 
both  of  the  other  elements." 

In  connection  with  "mixed  minerals"  nitrogen  in  the  form  of 
nitrate  of  soda  gave  far  better  results  than  in  either  of  the  other  forms  ; 
and  increased  applications  resulted  in  increased  yields  and  profits. 

1892.  The  peculiarly  injurious  effects  of  sulfate  of  ammonia 
were  again  apparent.  The  soil  had  been  found  decidedly  acid  when 
subjected  to  a  litmus  paper  test.  Experiments  by  Dr.  H.  J.  Wheeler 
have  shown  that  an  application  of  air  slaked  lime  to  the  soil  prevent 
the  marked  ill  effect  of  applications  of  sulfate  of  ammonia. 

Nitrate  of  soda,  as  a  source  of  nitrogen,  is  still  much  superior  to  the 
other  forms  employed. 

1893.  The  season  was  rather  unfavorable  and  the  yields  of  corn 
very  low. 

Nitrate  of  soda  again  shows  its  superiority  by  larger  yields  than  were 
secured  from  either  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  or  the  dried  blood. 

The  total  yields  for  four  years  in  the  case  of  each  plot,  and  the 
total  product  from  each  group  are  shown  in  the  following  table  : 


SUMMARY  KINGSTON  EXPERIMENT,  1890-1893,  Inclusive. 


Totals, 
Totals, 
Totals, 

"1 

1 
1 

-- 
1 

L 

■ 

Plot 

Num- 
bers. 

Total  Yields  per  Acre 

IN  4  Years. 

Hard 
Corn. 

Bushel. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Bushel. 

Stover. 
Pounds. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  Group, 

7 
8 
9 

10 
11 
12 

13 
14 
15 

119.74 
143.29 
157  56 

16.75 
12.79 
12.47 

9205 
10376 
12337 

420.59 

42.01 

31918 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia   Groitp, 

120.68 
51.58 
34.17 

14.74 
11.11 
12.30 

9213 
4513 

3942 

206.43 

38.15 

17668 

Dried  Blood  Group, 

112.21 
124.49 
102.67 

16.06 
14.92 
20.24 

8606 

11810 

8035 

339 . 37 

51.22 

28451 

1 

AS    A    FERTILIZER.  I3 

A  comparison  of  the  figures  in  yields  per  acre  shows  that  the 
nitrate  of  soda  group  exceeded  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  group,  as  the 
result  of  four  years'  crops,  by  214.16  bushels  of  hard  corn  and  14250 
pounds  of  stover,  at  $11.70  less  cost  for  fertilizer.  The  nitrate  of  soda 
group  exceeded  the  dried  blood  group,  as  the  result  of  the  four  years' 
crops,  by  81.22  bushels  of  hard  corn  and  3467  pounds  of  stover,  at 
$15.67,  less  cost  for  fertilizer. 

2.     ABBOTT  RUN,   L.   I. 

Farm  of  E.  F.  Crowninshield. 

This  experiment  was  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state,  near  the 
Massachusetts  line.  The  soil  was  a  very  light  sandy  loam,  and  the 
field  for  many  years  had  been  used  as  a  pasture.  Two  or  three  years 
previous  to  1890  the  thin  sod  had  been  broken  up  and  winter  rye  sown. 
The  next  season  buckwheat  was  grown  and  the  crop  turned  under 
Fertilizer  was  used  and  Indian  corn  planted,  which  proved  a  failure, 
and  "strap  leaf"  turnips  were  sown  as  a  catch  crop.  In  1889  fertilizer 
was  again  applied,  and  a  fair  crop  of  "  Hungarian"  (millet)  was  grown. 
No  barnyard  manure  was  ever  used  on  the  field.  The  land  was  plowed 
the  depth  of  the  surface  soil,  about  4  or  5  inches.  The  plots  were 
laid  out  and  fertilizers  applied  as  in  the  previous  experiment.  The 
yields  for  four  years  were  at  the  rates  per  acre  shown  in  Table  A. 

Notes  and  Conclusions. 

1890.  In  the  three  groups  of  plots  where  nitrogen  was  added 
to  "mixed  minerals,"  the  "  most  marked  gains  were  made  upon  plots 
7,  8  and  9,  where  it  was  applied  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda.  But  little 
difference  is  apparent  in  the  yields  upon  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  and 
dried  blood  groups.  It  is  possible  that  the  process  of  nitrification  was 
not  active  enough  for  the  plant  to  get  the  benefit  from  the  nitrogen 
which  had  been  added  in  these  forms,  and  that  the  yield  would  have 
been  greater  had  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda  been  employed 
throughout." 

Although  the  soil  was  evidently  more  in  need  of  nitrogen  than 
either  phosphoric  acid  or  potash,  its  application  in  addition  to  those 
two  ("mixed  minerals")  was  not  profitable  except  in  the  form  of 
nitrate  of  soda. 

1891.  "  In  the  special  nitrogen  test  (plots  7  to  15)  we  have  con- 
clusive proof  of  the  superior  value  of  nitrate  of  soda  on  this  land." 


M 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


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AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


15 


"  Of  the  three  forms  of  nitrogen,  nitrate  of  soda  gave  the  best  results. 
Dried  blood  gave  better  results  than  sulfate  of  ammonia." 

1892.  "On  all  the  plots  where  both  nitrogen  and  phosphoric 
acid  were  applied  in  quantities  exceeding  the  former  applications,  the 
yields  have  been  materially  greater  and  more  profitable." 

Nitrate  of  soda  has  again  shown  its  superior  power.  Although  sul- 
fate of  am.monia  and  dried  blood  produced  about  equal  yields  of  hard 
corn,  the  dried  blood  gave  a  better  yield  of  stover  and,  upon  the  whole, 
yielded  a  more  profitable  crop. 

The  average  yield  of  the  "  mixed  minerals  "  plots  (without  nitro- 
gen) above  the  yield  of  the  nothing  plots  was  not  sufficient  to  pay  for 
the  extra  cost  of  fertilizers. 

1893.  The  unfavorable  season  made  the  yields  of  hard  corn  a 
little  lower  than  in  1892,  and  that  of  stover  much  less.  Nitrate  of  soda 
gave  decidedly  superior  yields  over  the  other  forms  of  nitrogen.  The 
following  table  gives  the  total  of  the  four  crops  for  each  plot  and  each 
group  : 

SUiMMARY  ABBOTT  RUN  EXPERIMENT, 

1890-1893,  Inclusive. 


Total  Yields  per  Acre 

Plot 

Num- 
bers. 

IN  4  Years. 

Hard 
Corn. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Stover. 

r 

Bus. 

Bus. 

Pounds. 

7 

133.27 

7.13 

8445 

Nitrate  of  Soda   Group, 

- 

\ 

8 

148.27 

6.77 

9645 

Totals, 

I 

( 

9 
10 

159.92 
441.46 

7.20 

9750 

21.10 

27840 

65.28 

16.48 

6975 

Sulfate  of  Aftimonia   Group, 

- 

J 

11 

83.57 

16.49 

6545 

Totals, 

I 

12 
13 

93.50 

15.55 

7865 

242.35 

48.52 

21385 

67.71 

9.26 

8260 

Dried  Blood  Group, 

- 

- 

14 

85.56 

9.77 

8750 

Totals, 

> 

15 

113.41 

9.06 

9225 

266.68 

28.09 

26235 

1              .      1         - 

l6  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

In  the  case  of  each  group  an  increase  in  the  amount  of  nitrogen 
applied  gave  an  increase  in  the  total  hard  corn  and  stover  obtained  in 
four  years. 

The  total  quantity  of  soft  corn  obtained  was  much  the  largest  in 
the  sulfate  of  ammonia  group.  The  dried  blood  group  ranked  second, 
and  the  nitrate  of  soda  group  produced  the  smallest  quantity  ; — less 
than  half  as  much  as  was  produced  by  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  group. 
This  shows  a  more  rapid  growth  and  early  maturity  on  the  part  of  the 
crop  grown  upon  the  nitrate  of  soda.  In  a  northern  climate,  where 
there  is  a  great  liability  to  early  frosts,  and  where  a  delay  of  a  week  or 
ten  days  in  the  time  of  maturity  may  cause  serious  loss,  the  argument 
for  the  use  of  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda,  and  of  quick  act- 
ing fertilizer  in  general,  has  considerable  weight.  The  query  why 
corn  fertilized  with  sulfate  of  ammonia  should  be  longer  in  maturing 
than  when  dried  blood  is  used,  seems  to  find  its  answer  in  the  effect 
upon  the  plant,  and  upon  the  nitrification  of  the  chemical  added  to  an 
already  acid  soil,  producing  conditions  which  make  a  longer  time 
necessary  for  the  completion  of  the  process  of  nitrification  in  the  case 
of  the  ammonia,  than  is  required  for  the  whole  process  in  the  case  of 
the  dried  blood. 

The  \  ration  of  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda.,  plot  7,  pro- 
duced just  about  double  the  quantity  of  hard  corn  which  was  produced 
in  the  four  years  by  either  of  the  other  forms  of  nitrogen  where  a 
\  ration  was  used,  plots  10  and  13. 

The  total  yield  for  four  years  from  all  the  plots  in  the  nitrate  of 
soda  group  stated  in  yields  per  acre,  exceeded  the  total  yield  from  all  the 
plots  in  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  group  by  199. 11  bushels  of  hard  corn 
and  6455  pounds  of  stover,  at  $11.70  less  cost  for  fertilizers. 

Compared  with  the  dried  blood  group,  the  nitrate  of  soda  produced 
at  the  rate  of  174.78  bushels  hard  corn  and  1605  pounds  of  stover  more 
than  the  dried  blood,  at  $15.67  less  expense  for  fertilizers. 

3.  HOPE  VALLEY,  R.  L 
Farm  of  Herbert  E.  Lewis. 
The  field  in  which  this  experiment  was  located  had  served  for 
several  years  as  a  cow  pasture,  and  was  in  a  low  state  of  fertility.  The 
soil  was  sandy  loam  in  character.  The  same  general  method  of  treat- 
ment was  followed  as  in  the  other  experiments.  The  yields  for  the 
four  years,  calculated  to  rates  per  acre,  are  given  below  : 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


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II 

l8  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

Notes  and  Conclusions. 

1890.  The  best  results  were  secured  this  season  from  the  sii  - 
ate  of  ammonia  group.  The  fact  that  two  out  of  eighteen  fertilized 
plots  produced  less  than  the  yield  from  the  two  plots  which  received 
no  fertilizer  whatever  indicates  some  variation  in  fertility.  Phosphoric 
acid  was  particularly  deficient  in  this  soil,  and  nitrogen  considerably  so. 

1891.  Nitrate  of  soda  this  season  gave  considerably  the  best  yield, 
dried  blood  occupying  the  second  place,  plots  14  and  15  surpassing 
last  year's  yield. 

Sulfate  of  ammonia,  which  gave  the  best  crop  last  season,  is 
quite  out-distanced  by  both  the  other  forms  this  season. 

"The  application  of  fertilizers  was  accompanied  by  profit  only 
when  phosphoric  acid  was  applied,  and  the  profit  was  greatest  when  the 
full  ration  of  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda  was  used  in  com- 
bination with  phosphoric  acid  and  potash." 

1892.  The  yields  from  all  the  plots  show  a  considerable  reduc- 
tion since  the  beginning  of  the  experiment.  Nitrate  of  soda  again  gave 
the  best  crop,  with  dried  blood  second,  and  sulfate  of  ammonia  last. 
In  the  latter  case,  a  \  ration  gave  a  larger  yield  than  either  a  f,  or  full 
ration:  a  result  which  indicates  a  similar  soil  condition  to  that  found 
in  the  Kingston  experiment.  A  litmus  paper  test  of  the  soil  reveals  a 
decided  acid  reaction. 

1893.  Nitrate  of  soda  gave  considerably  the  best  crop:  the  yield  of 
hard  corn  from  each  plot  was  only  about  3  bushels  less  than  that  of 
last  season.  Dried  blood  again  held  the  second  place,  but  the  yields 
were  from  5  to  9  bushels  per  plot  less  than  those  of  last  season. 
Sulfate  of  ammonia  gave  the  same  marked  injurious  effect  from  the 
larger  applications.  The  results  for  the  four  years  of  the  experiment 
are  given  in  the  following  computation  of  yields  per  acre  : 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


19 


SUMMARY  HOPE  VALLEY  EXPERLMENT, 

1890-1893,  Inclusive.  . 


Total  Yields  per  Acre 

Plot 

Num- 
bers. 

IN  4  Years. 

Hard 
Corn. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Stover. 

f 

Bus. 

Bus. 

Pounds. 

7 

126.39 

14.72 

8964 

Nitrate  of  Soda   Group, 

- 

\ 

8 

176.50 

13.69 

11632 

Totals, 

I 

9 
10 

162.15 

13.95 

11147 

465.04 

42.36 

31743 

115.30 

15.07 

9275 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia   Group, 

- 

■i 

11 

129.86 

16.91 

9696 

Totals, 

■ 

12 
13 

106.49 

16.19 

8751 

351.65 

48.17 

27722 

123.85 

13.05 

8833 

Dried  Blood  Group, 

- 

14 

137.22 

15.00 

10820 

Totals, 

L 

15 

143.69 

15.10 

10502 

404.76 

43.15 

30155 

NITRATE    OF    SODA 


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AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


If  we  compare  the  figures  in  the  above  table  of  total  yields  for  the 
four  years,  we  find  that  the  nitrate  of  soda  group,  as  in  the  preceding 
experiments,  ranks  first,  dried  blood  second  and  sulfate  of  ammonia 
third.  Almost  half,  159.64  bushels,  of  the  total  yield  of  hard  corn  in 
the  sulfate  of  ammonia  group  was,  however,  produced  in  the  first  year 
of  the  experiment.  Both  dried  blood  and  sulfate  of  ammonia  gave 
greater  relative  yields  in  this  experiment  than  in  either  of  the  preced- 
ing, and  the  total  yield  produced  by  each  of  the  three  groups  was  also 
greater,  as  may  readily  be  seen  by  the  following  summary  of  totals  : 
SUMMARY  OF  TOTAL  YIELDS  IN   FOUR  YEARS. 


• 

Hard 

Corn. 

Bus. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Stover. 
Pounds. 

i  Kingston 

Nitrate  of  Soda  Group. .  .    -j  Abbott  Run  .  . 

^  Hope  Valley.  . 

Sulfate  of  A  mvionia              i  Kingston 

Group -   Abbott  Run  .  . 

'  Hope  Valley.  . 

/'  Kingston 

Dried  Blood  Group. ....    \  Abbott  Run  .  . 

(  Hope  Valley.  . 

420.59 
441.46 
465.04 

206.43 
242.35 
351.65 

339.37 
266.68 
404.76 

42.01 
21.10 
42.36 

38.15 

48.52 
48.17 

51.22 
28.09 
43.15 

31918 
27840 
31743 

17668 
21385 

27722 

28451 
26235 
30155 

The  superiority  of  nitrate  of  soda  as  a  source  of  nitrogen  for  the 
Indian  corn  crop  is  quite  evident  from  the  above  figures. 

These  three  experiments  were  the  only  ones  conducted  through 
four  years,  and  the  single  element  tests  showed  that  phosphoric  acid  was 
much  needed  in  every  instance,  more  so  than  potash  ;  and  nitrogen  in 
any  form  would  not  produce  a  maximum  effect  without  the  ''  mixed 
minerals  "  This  was  quite  to  be  expected,  considering  that  two  of 
these  experiment  fields  were  parts  of  old  cow  pastures,  and  the  other 
a  field  much  worn  by  long  and  exhaustive  cropping.  All  three  were 
very  light  sandy-loam  soils. 

Beginning  in  1890,  three  other  experiments  were  conducted  in 
other  sections  of  the  state  for  a  period  of  three  years,  and  two,  for  two 
years.  In  each  instance  the  land  was  laid  out,  fertilized,  and  the  ex- 
periment carried  on  in  accordance  with  the  rules  which  governed  the 
preceding  experiments. 


22  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

4.  WESTERLY,   R.   I. 

Farm  of  Courtland  P.  Chapman. 

The  soil  of  the  field  selected  for  experiment  was  a  rather  rich, 
slightly  sandy,  loam.  In  1884  seaweed  and  stable  manure  were  used  to 
g:row  Indian  corn  ;  in  1885  seaweed  and  "  phosphate  "  were  used  to 
grow  potatoes.  In  1886  it  was  sown  to  oats  and  grass,  and  until  1890 
had  been  regularly  mowed  and  but  lightly  top-dressed.  This  field 
appeared  to  be  in  a  higher  state  of  fertilility  than  any  other  under 
experiment,  and  large  applications  of  fertilizers,  especially  the  most 
expensive  element,  nitrogen,  showed  less  profit  than  upon  poorer  soils. 
The  following  table  shows  the  yields  per  acre. 

Notes  and  Conclusions. 

1890.  Owing  to  the  natural  fertility  of  the  field,  the  yields  from 
all  the  plots  were  much  larger  than  was  the  case  in  any  of  the  previous 
experiments.  There  was  almost  no  difference  in  the  total  product  of 
hard  corn  from  the  nitrate  of  soda  group  as  compared  with  the  dried 
blood  gi'oup.  Nitrate  of  soda  was,  howevei:,  a  shade  superior  in  yield, 
and  gave  some  240  pounds  more  of  stover,  and,  considering  its  lowea 
cost,  was,  therefore,  fully  entitled  to  the  first  place  as  source  of  nitro- 
gen. The  total  yield  from  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  group  was  16 
bushels  of  hard  corn  less  than  was  produced  by  the  nitrate  of  soda 
group. 

1891.  There  was  a  large  falling  off  in  the  yields  from  all  the 
plots,  but  the  relation  between  the  different  groups  was  about  the 
same  as  in  the  previous  season.  The  dried  blood  group  this  season 
slightly  exceeded  the  nitrate  of  soda  group  in  both  total  yield  of  hard 
corn  and  stover.  The  yields  of  stover  were  very  uniform  for  the  three 
groups,  a  difference  of  only  100  pounds  existing  between  the  highest 
and  the  lowest  total  yield. 

1892.  The  yields  were  larger  than  in  '91,  but  not  so  large  as  in 
'90,  and  much  greater  relative  difference  existed.  Nitrate  of  soda  wa.s 
this  season  most  decidedly  siiperior  to  both  other  forms  of  nitrogen.  The 
total  product  from  the  nitrate  of  soda  group  was  50.29  bushels  of  hard 
corn  and  2320  pounds  of  stover  more  than  was  produced  by  the  dried 
blood  group.  The  sulfate  of  ammonia  group  gave  this  season  a 
better  crop   of  hard  corn   than  the  dried   blood  grotip,  but  the  latter 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


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24 


NITRATE  OF  SODA 


produced  over  half  a  ton  per  acre  more  stover  than  the  former.     The 
total  yields  for  the  three  years  are  as  follows  : 
SUMMARY  WESTERLY  EXPERIMENT,  1890-1892,  Inclusive. 


Plot 

Num- 
bers. 

Total  Yields  pek  Acre 
IN  3  Years. 

Hard 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Stover. 
Pounds. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  Group 

7 
8 
9 

10 
11 
12 

13 
14 
15 

176.43 
182.43 
176.13 

12.70 
13.84 
16.41 

1X)120 
11900 
12230 

Totals, 

534-99 

42.95 

34250 

f 
Sulfate  of  Ammonia  Group,          -           J 

1 
I 

155.99 
165.99 
167.14 

10.93 
12.12 
12.70 

9360 

8990 

10890 

Totals, 

489.12 

35.75 

29240 

[ 

Dried  Blood  Groups                 -                 \ 

1 
I 

137.42 
169.13 
175.28 

14.70 
16.70 
17.99 

8580 
11120 
12640 

Totals, 

481.83 

49.39 

32340 

The  above  figures  show  that  the  nitrate  of  soda  group  produced 
the  greatest  total  yield  of  hard  corn  and  also  of  stover  in  the  crops  of 
three  years.  Sulfate  of  ammonia  slightly  exceeded  dried  blood  in 
the  total  yield  of  hard  corn,  but  the  latter  had  a  considerable  excess  of 
soft  corn  and  stover.  This  soil  was  a  stronger  and  much  richer  one 
than  that  of  any  one  of  the  preceding  experiments.  It  contained  very 
much  more  humus,  and  doubtless  a  larger  supply  of  available  mineral 
plant  food.  While  much  larger  yields  were  secured  than  from  the 
experiments  upon  rather  poor  and  "hungry"  sandy  soils,  the  applica- 
tion of  nitrogen  in  any  form  in  large  amounts  was  more  profitable  in 
dollars  and  cents  upon  the  latter.  In  this  experiment  the  greatest 
profit  came  from  the  use  of  the  \  ration  of  nitrogen. 

5.     NOOSE   NECK,    R.  1. 
Farm  of  J.  B.  Vaughn. 
The  field  in  which  this   experiment  was   located    had    not  been 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


25 


plowed  or  fertilized  since  1884,  when  fodder  corn  had  been  planted  in 
drills,  with  manure.  The  soil  was  a  poor  sandy  loam  with  little  or  no 
sod,  and  when  the  plots  were  staked  out,  little  besides  bluets  {Houstonia 
caerulea)  and  bird  foot  violet  {viola  pedeta)  was  growing  upon  it.  The 
crops  produced  upon  the  three  groups  of  nitrogen  plots,  calculated  to" 
yields  per  acre,  were  as  follows: 


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26  nitrate  of  soda 

Notes  and  Conclusions. 

1890.  The  largest  yields  were  upon  those  plots  where  nitrogen 
was  added  to  the  "mixed  minerals."  Nitrogen  seemed  to  be  the  element 
most  lacking,  although  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  were  also  deficient. 
"  So  far  as  the  eye  could  detect  there  was  little  difference  between  the 
the  nitrate  of  soda  and  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  groups,  other  than  that 
the  latter  plots  were  not  so  mature  as  the  former."  "Nitrogen  in  the 
form  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  sulfate  of  ammonia,  gave  better  returns  than 
in  the  form  of  dried  blood,  and  its  application,  even  in  considerable 
quantities,  in  the  two  former  cases  was  accompanied  by  profit,  and  in 
the  latter  case  by  loss." 

"The  corn  upon  the  plots  supplied  with  nitrogen  in  the  form  of 
sulfate  of  ammonia,  was  later  in  maturing  than  where  nitrogen  in  the 
form  of  nitrate  of  soda  was  used." 

"  Potash  and  phosphoric  acid  applied  alone  proved  unprofitable, 
which  was  not  the  case  when  combined  with  nitrogen  in  the  most 
available  form." 

1891.  Sulfate  of  ammonia,  which  gave  a  trifle  the  largest  crop 
last  year,  was  third  in  order  this  season,  and  dried  blood  was  first,  but 
exceeded  nitrate  of  soda  by  only  0.35  of  a  bushel  of  hard  corn  and  350 
pounds  of  stover. 

"  Since  the  field  was  especially  lacking  in  phosphoric  acid,  the  good 
showing  for  the  blood  may,  probably,  to  some  extent  be  due  to  the 
amount  of  phosphoric  acid  which  it  contained."  (The  dried  blood 
contained  3.21  percent,  of  phosphoric  acid,  while  that  obtained  in  1892 
for  these  experiments  contained  only  0.42  of  a  per  cent.) 

1892.  This  third  season  the  nitrate  of  soda  group  produced  j'zV/i/i' 
much  greater  than  were  produced  by  either  of  the  other  groups  A 
lack  of  seasonable  rains,  from  which  the  crop  suffered,  may  in  part 
account  for  the  reduced  yields  from  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  and  dried 
blood  groups;  the  soil  being  too  dry  for  nitrification  to  go  on  with 
sufficient  rapidity  to  furnish  the  necessary  nitrates  for  plant  growth. 

^^  Nitrate  of  soda  gave  by  far  the  best  results,  while  sulfate  of 
ammonia  and  dried  blood  did  not  produce  yields  commensurate  with 
their  cost. 

Following  is  the  table  of  total  yields  for  three  years  : 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 

SUMMARY  NOOSE  NECK  EXPERIMENT, 

1890-1892,  Inclusive. 


27 


Plot 

Num- 
bers. 

Total  Yields  per  Acre 
IN  3  Years. 

Hard 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Stover. 
Pounds. 

r 

Nitrate  of  Soda   Group,            -               \ 

7 
8 
9 

10 
11 
12 

13 
14 
15 

80.21 
106.78 
124.64 

9.85 
9.57 
9.99 

6860 
7020 
8335 

Totals, 

3"-63 

29.31 

22215 

r 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia   Group,         -          ] 

75.56 
101.41 
107.06 

6.36 

8.71 
8.71 

6845 
6925 

7820 

Totals, 

284.03 

23.78 

21590 

Dried  Blood  Group,       -           -               -I 

71.42 
79.^1 
99.00 

5.13 

8.41 
8.06 

5725 
6845 
7035 

Totals, 

249.63 

21.60 

19605 

The  total  yields  for  the  three  years  from  the  nitrate  of  soda  group, 
exceeded  the  yields  in  either  of  the  other  groups,  in  hard  corn,  soft  corn, 
and  stover.  Sulfate  of  ammonia  produced  the  next  best  yield,  as  the 
total  produced  by  the  dried  blood  group  was  cut  down  considerably  by 
the  small  yield  in  1892. 

6,  JAMESTOWN,  R.  I. 

Farm  of    T.  A.  H.  Tefft. 

This  experiment  was  located  on  the  north  end  of  the  island  of 
Conanicut.  The  soil  was  a  black  loam.  The  field  had  been  in  grass 
for  forty  years,  and  had  received  no  top  dressing  in  any  form  for  seven 
or  eight  years,  except  across  one  corner  of  some  of  the  single  ele- 
ment plots.  The  land  was  plowed  4^  inches  deep.  The  ends  of  some 
of  the  plots  were  too  low  and  wet  for  the  corn  crop,  but,  in  harvesting, 
a  given  section  of  the  whole  plot,  representing  a  normal  yield,  was 
weighed,  and  the  weights  for  the  whole  plot  calculated  from  this.     In 


28 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


1891  a  portion  of  a  field  located  upon  higher  ground,  and  better 
adapted  to  the  corn  crop,  was  selected  for  experiment.  The  soil  was 
a  light  sand,  with  gravelly  subsoil.  The  last  application  of  manure 
was  about  twelve  years  ago,  since  which  time  it  has  grown  two  crops 
of  corn,  one  each  of  oats  and  rye,  and  several  crops  of  grass.  The  soil 
was  very  badly  "run  down,"  and  only  occasional  tufts  of  grass  covered 
the  surface.  The  following  table  gives  the  yields  upon  the  plots  of 
the  two  fields,  calculated  to  yields  per  acre  : 


1890  (1st  Field.) 

1891  (2d  Field.) 

Hard 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Stover. 
Pounds. 

Hard 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Soft 
Corn. 

Bus. 

Stover. 
Pounds. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  Group. 
Plot  7,  \  ration 

65.71 
70.00 

72.86 

57.14 
60.00 
65.71 

37.14 
38.57 
37.14 

12.86 
10.00 
11.43 

17.14 
15.71 
17.14 

12.86 
11.43 
15.71 

3800 
4300 
4600 

3400 
3700 
4000 

2800 
2900 
2900 

41.42 
50.00 
51.42 

34.28 
43.57 
26.43 

22.14 
24.28 
15.71 

11.43 

6.78 
7.85 

7.14 
5.71 
7.14 

5.71 
8.57 
7.14 

3000 

"     8,  f       "      

3600 

"     9,  Full  "      

3400 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia  Group. 
Plot  10,  +  ration 

2850 

"     11.  f       "      

"     12,  Full  "      , 

Dried  Blood  Group. 
Plot  13,  \  ration 

3600 
2900 

2400 

"     14,  f       "      

2800 

"     15,  Full  "      

3100 

Notes  and  Conclusions. 

1890,  The  plots  comprising  the  nitrate  of  Soda  group  gave  con- 
siderably the  best  yields,  and  a  profitable  increase  over  the  yield  from 
**  mixed  minerals"  without  nitrogen.  The  plots  in  the  sulfate  of 
ammonia  group  ranked  second  in  yield,  but  the  corn  was  later  in 
maturing,  and  the  yield  of  soft  corn  was  large.  The  dried  blood,  for 
some  reason,  seemed  to  be  of  no  advantage,  as  the  yield  from  the 
mixed  mineral  plots  on  either  side  of  this  group,  without  addition  of 
nitrogen,  gave  larger  yields. 

1891.  The  soil  of  this  field  was  very  poor  sandy  loam,  quite  un- 
like that  used  the  previous  season.     The  yields  were  not  so  large  as 


AS    A    FERTILIZER.  29 

from  the  other  field,  but  again  nitrate  of  soda  gave  by  far  the  best  reszdts^ 
sulfate  of  ammonia  ranked  second,  and  dried  blood  gave  the  smallest 
yields.  As  this  experiment  was  not  consecutive  upon  the  same  field, 
we  omit  a  summary  of  the  yields  for  two  years.  The  superior  yields 
from  the  use  of  nitrate  of  soda  are  very  evident  in  both  instances,  and 
its  lower  cost  adds  to  the  economy  of  its  use. 

An  experiment  was  conducted  for  three  years  upon  the  farm  of 
Copwell  and  Tillinghast,  at  Summit,  and  one  for  two  years  upon  the 
farm  of  H.  Hartwell  Jencks,  Lime  Rock,  but  as  considerable  inequality 
in  the  natural  fertility  of  the  different  plots  was  apparent  in  the  results,. 
we  will  not  take  space  for  the  details.  An  experiment  was  conducted 
for  one  season  in  three  other  localities  in  the  state,  but  as  the  results 
are  all  summarized  in  the  "  Conclusions  "  by  Dr.  Wheeler  in  1890,  and 
later  by  Mr.  Lowar,  we  quote  from  their  reports  in  relation  to  the  use 
of  materials  for  the  supply  of  nitrogen. 

1890.  "  Nitrogen  proved  most  profitable  upon  soils  with  little 
sod  and  humus,  /.  e.,  light  sandy,  or  gravelly,  loams.  Taking  all  the  ex- 
periments into  consideration,  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda 
■was  more  certain  to  give  fair  returns  than  in  either  of  the  other  forms.  Its 
lesser  cost  is,  a/so,  an  additional  argument  in  its  favor." 

"  The  sulfate  of  ammonia  gave,  in  one  or  two  instances,  better  returns 
than  nitrate  of  soda,  though  in  two  cases,  at  least,  the  period  of  growth 
was  prolonged  by  its  use  which  may,  perhaps,  have  been  due  to  delayed 
nitrification.  In  one  insLancei,  the  sulfate  nitrogen  appears  not  only 
not  to  have  been  available  to  the  plant,  but  to  have  had  a  decidedly 
injurious  effect,  for  it  more  than  neutralized  the  otherwise  good  effect 
of  the  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  with  which  it  was  applied.  The 
greater  the[^  application  of  the  sulfate,  the  more  disastrous  were  the 
results." 

"On  the  whole,  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  dried  blood  proved  inferior 
to  both  the  other  forms." 

1891.  "While  in  four  cases,  in  1890,  potash  appeared  the  most 
deficient,  it  has  in  no  case,  upon  a  second  trial  been  found  so  much 
lacking  as  phosphoric  acid." 

"  Of  the  three  forms  of  nitrogen,  nitrate  of  soda  has,  upon  the  whole^ 
proved  the  most  profitable,  and  sulfate  of  ammonia  the  least." 

"  In  most  of  the  plots  where  dried  blood  was  applied,  the    corr> 

1  Used  upon  a  soil  having  a  decided  acid  re-action. 


30  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

ripened  earlier,  and  showed,  when  compared  with  the  nitrate  of  soda 
and  sulphate  of  ammonia  plots,  a  greater  relative  yield  than  in  1890. 
This  gain  may  be  due  to  the  fact  that  the  dried  blood  contained,  in 
addition  to  the  organic  nitrogen,  a  small  amount  of  phosphoric  acid, 
and  this  amount  was  unusually  great  in  the  blood  used  in  1891.  The 
phosphoric  acid  may  have  increased  the  yield.  Another  cause  for  the 
increase  might  be,  since  nitrification  of  dried  blood  is  somewhat  slow> 
that,  in  all  probability,  some  of  the  nitrogen  applied  on  these  plots  in 
1890  was  unused  until  1891." 

1892.  "  Phosphoric  acid  has  in  every  case  proved  itself  the  most 
deficient,  followed  by  nitrogen.  " 

In  the  special  nitrogen  tests,  nitrate  of  soda  takes  first  place  in  all  but 
one  instance^  where  it  holds  second  place.  Sulfate  of  ammonia  holds  first 
place  once,  second  place  twice  and  third  place  three  times.  Dried 
blood  holds  second  and  third  places  three  times  each. 

"The  ill  effects  of  sulfate  of  ammonia  were  wholly  prevented  by 
the  application  of  air-slaked  lime.  " 

1893.  The  three  experiments  continued  through  four  years, 
showed  by  considerably  increased  crops  the  superior  effect  of  nitrate  of  soda 
as  a  source  of  nitrogen.  If  we  represent  the  total  product  from  the 
nitrate  of  soda  groups,  in  the  three  experiments,  for  the  whole  time,  by 
100  in  the  case  of  the  hard  corn,  soft  corn  and  stover,  then  the  products 
in  the  other  two  groups  would  be  represented  as  follows  :  The  relative 
cost  of  the  fertilizers  for  the  three  groups,  calculated  on  the  same  basis? 
is  also  included  in  the  table. 

Hard  corn.  Soft  Corn.  Stover.  Cost. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  group.,  loo.o  loo.o  loo.o  100. o 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia  group,  60.3  127.8  72.9  105.0 

Dried  Blood  group.,  76.1  116.  i  92.7  107.4 

These  figures  show  plainly  the  proportional  gains  in  hard  corn  and 
stover  made  by  the  nitrate  of  soda  group.,  in  these  three  experiments,  con- 
sidered as  a  unit,  and  also  the  increased  proportional  cost  of  the 
fertilizers  for  the  dried  blood  and  sulfate  of  ammonia  groups,  as  com- 
pared with  that  of  the  nitrate  of  soda  group.  In  the  case  of  the  soft  corn 
the  7iitrate  of  soda  gave  the  smallest  yield.,  dried  blood  yielding  about  one- 
sixth  more,  and  sulfate  of  ammonia  fully  one  quarter  more.  This 
result  in  the  totals  of  these  experiments  for  a  term  of  years,  is  in  accord 
with  observations  in  the  case  of  individual  experiments  already  noticed, 
when   the  corn  upon  the  dried  blood  and  sulfate  of  ammonia  plots, 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


31 


particularly  the  latter,  required  a  considerably  longer  time  to  mature 
than  was  required  for  that  upon  the  nitrate  of  soda  plots.  This  point 
in  favor  of  the  use  of  nitrate  of  soda  has  an  important  bearing  upon  the 
use  of  fertilizers  in  northern  latitudes. 


*|.,-!      ^■\* 


COWPEA. 

PlotNos.  29.   Limed.        27.   Unlimed.       25..  Limed.       23.   Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

EXPERIMENTS   WITH  A  VARIETY   OF   CROPS.^ 


The  marked  ill  effect  of  increased  applications  of  sulfate  of  am- 
monia to  the  corn  crop  in  the  "  Twentieth-acre  Cooperative  Experi- 
ment," on  the  grounds  of  the  Experiment  Station  at  Kingston,  R.  I., 
and  the  fact  that  applications  of  air-slaked  lime  corrected  the  ill  effects, 


Cantaloupe. 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.        27.   Unlimed.  25.   Limed.      23.   Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

as  already  stated,  led  to  the  institution  of  an  experiment  upon  four  of 
the  permanent  plots,  located  a  short  distance  to  the  south,  upon  the 
same  level  sandy  loam  plain  land.  These  plots  are  separated  from 
each  other  by  unmanured  spaces  of  three  feet,  and  are  so  laid  out  that 

1  Compiled  from  the  Annual  Reports  of  the  Rhode  Lsland  Agricultural  Ex- 
periment Station,  from  1893  to  1897,  inclusive.  The  experiment  was  m  charge 
of  Dr.  H.  J.  Wheeler,  chemist,  assisted  by  the  Agricultural  Division. 


32 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


a  border  of  three  feet  upon  each  side,  and  six  feet  across  each  end,  is 
fertilized  at  the  same  rate  and  cultivated  in  the  same  way  as  the  real 
plot  which  lies  within.  This  permits  the  discarding  from  the  experi- 
ment the  outside  roivs,  which  necessarily  obtain  more  air,  light  and 
room  than  interior  ones,  and,  thus,  only  results  from  interior  rows, 
which  approximate  field  conditions,  are  used  for  comparative  work. 
The  interior  plots  are  i8i^  feet  long  and  24  feet  wide,  making  an  area 
of  -^  of  an  acre.  In  1891  a  crop  of  beans,  and  in  1892  a  crop  of  Indian 
corn  had  been  grown  without  manures  upon  these  plots,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  if  they  were  suitable  for  comparative  work.  As 
they  proved  very  uniform  in  quality,  were  level,  parallel  and  adjacent 
lo  each  other,  they  were  well  adapted  to  the  work  proposed,  viz., 
the  use  of  nitric  and  ammoniacal  forms  of  nitrogen,  with  and  with- 


SojA  Bean. 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.  27.   Unlimed.  25.   Limed.         23.   Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

out  lime,  in  the  growth  of  a  variety  of  farm  and  garden  crops. 
We  have  thus  far  studied  the  effect  of  nitrate  of  soda  upon  the  corn  crop 
alone.  We  have  now  to  observe  its  effect  upon  a  great  variety  of 
crops,  including  grasses,  nursery  stock  and  small  fruits. 

The  four  plots  were  manured  alike  with  muriate  of  potash,  at  the 
rate  of  200  pounds  per  acre,  and  dissolved  bone-black  at  the  rate  of 
600  pounds  per  acre.  Plots  23  and  25,  toward  the  west,  received  an 
additional  dressing  of  360  pounds  per  acre  of  sulfate  of  ammonia,  and 
the  two  toward  the  east,  27  and  29,  a  dressing  of  tiitrate  of  soda  at  the 
rate  of  465  pounds  per  acre,  or  at  such  a  rate  that  the  amount  of  nitrogen 
applied  upon  each  plot  was  exactly  the  same.  One  of  the  sulfate  of  am- 
monia plots,  No.  25,  and  one  of  the  nitrate  of  soda  plots,  No.  29,  re- 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


33 


ceived,  in  addition,  a  dressing  of  air-slaked  lime  at  the  rate  of  5400 
pounds  per  acre.  The  lime  was  applied  by  itself  and  thoroughly  har- 
rowed in.  The  other  fertilizers  were  carefully  applied  broadcast,  and 
well  worked  in  b}^  harrowing.  Seeds  of  a  large  variety  of  ci'ops  were 
planted  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  running  across  all  four  plots.  The 
following  table  shows  the  weights  of  the  various  crops,  obtained 
from  a  given  and  equal  length  of  row  on  each  of  the  four  plots. 


hit^tjji^  SiL>^st^:S'-itfs^U 


;\iAM;Kl     WUUZEL. 

Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.  27.    Unlimed.  2o.    Limed.     28.    Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  or  Phosphoric  Acid. 

There  are  43  weights  given  in  each  column  of  the  above  table, 
representing  37  different  crops,  and  from  the  t(/i/tme^  plots,  23  and  27, 
the  same  amount  of  nitrogen  in  nitrate  of  soda  upon  plot  27  as  com- 
pared with  a  like  quantity  of  nitrogen  in  sulfate  of  ammonia  upon  plot 
'2T),  prodticed  a  heavie!' crop  in  every  case.  In  9  instances  in  the  case  of 
the  sulfate  of  ammonia,  plot  23,  there  were  no  weights  to  record.    The 


Cabbage. 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.  27.   Unlimed.  25.   Limed.     23.   Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

total  failures  included  all  four  varieties  of  beets,  Jerusalem  corn,  early 
and  late  cabbage  (trimmed  heads),  spinach  and  merchantable  potatoes. 
All  the  conditions  of  seed  and  planting,  care  of  crops  and  harvesting, 
were,  so  far  as  possible,  identical  in  the  case  of  these  four  plots.  In 
planting  all  the  small  seeds,  the  seed-sower  was  run  directly  across  the 


34 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 

TABLE   T. 


1893 


Crimson  clover 

White  beans  (as  pulled) 

White  podded  adzuki  beans  (soy)   .  . . 

Cow  pea  (green) 

Soy  bean       "      

Blue  lupine  (as  harvested) 

"Granger  "  pea  (pods  and  vines). . . . 

White  capped  corn  (green) 

Dent  corn  "      

Pop-corn  • '      

Sweet  corn  "      

Eclipse  table  beet  (roots  and  tops)  .  .  . 
French  sugar  beets         "  " 

Long  red  mangels  "  " 

Golden  tankard  beets    "  " 

Victoria  carrots  "  " 

Mastodon  carrots  "  " 

Rutabagas  (Swedish  turnips)  " 

Amber  sugar  cane  (green) 

KafSr  corn  "       

Jerusalem  corn  "       

Sunflowers  (seeds  and  stalks) 

Kale  (green) 

Earl)^  cabbage  (total  crop) 

"  "         (trimmed  heads) 

Late  cabbage  (total  crop)i 

"  "         (trimmed  heads) 

Spinach  (green) 

Early  rose  potatoes  (total  crop) 

"         "  "         (large  tubers)^ . . . 

Tomatoes  (total  fruit) 

(ripe  fruit)    

(unripe  fruit) 

"  (vines,  green) 

Lettuce 

Oats,  straw  and  grain  (as  harvested) 
Barley     "  "  " 

Rye 

Hungarian  (green) 

Golden  millet     "     

Italian       "         "     

Panicum  crus-galli  (green) 

Buckwheat  "        


Unlimed. 


Plot  23.  I  Plot  2T. 
Sulfate  of  Nitrate 
Amm'nia'  of  Soda. 
Lbs.  Lbs. 


3.75 

4.12 

13.62 

10.37 

9.38 

12.63 

.44 

3.06 

3.50 

3.69 

2.95 

.25 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.44 

13  25 

.02 

.05 

.00 

3.25 

16.06 

10.50 

.00 

16.75 

.00 

.00 

6.25 

.00 

3.07 

1.63 

1.44 

7.81 

03 

4.44 

.50 

1.00 

1.81 

1.19 

2.50 

12.13 

43.38 


19.50 
4.81 
22.81 
12.00 
21.81 

14.44 
1.88 

12.63 
925 

18.63 

14-13 
9.00 

5-25 
9.80 

7.25 

25.00 

29.00 

75-75 

-56 

2.44 

-50 

40.19 

92.56 

90  50 

52.75 

46.00 

10.00 

.69 

13-56 

2.98 

29.63 

15.69 

13-94 

16.13 

-13 

5-56 

2.88 

2.13 

8.75 

12.63 

19.56 

43.06 

66.19 


Limed. 


Plot  25. 

Sulfate  of 

Amm'nia 

Lbs. 


20.75 

5.94 

22.87 

12.31 

7.88 

4.25 

4.94 

13.69 

15.00 

27.25 

34.50 

43.00 

60.75 

61.00 

48.50 

43  50 

70.50 

65.35 

13.19 

11.63 

3.75 

54.88 

119.56 

97.25 

50  50 

120.00 

40.00 

9.38 

13.50 

6.16 

25.81 

15.31 

10.50 

13.81 

7.63 

5.31 

3.94 

3.25 

10  69 

16.44 

25.38 

41.35 

73.35 


Plot  39. 

Nitrate 

of  Soda. 

Lbs. 


26.50 

5.35 

18.00 

9.44 

18.00 

5-56 

3.88 

8  75 

9.88 

30.00 

29.75 

69.25 

94.75 

75-50 

68.00 

40.50 

50.00 

115-50 

7.50 

9.19 

1.75 

43.80 

139-56 

116.50 

57-00 

109.00 

68.00 

18.38 

13.94 

7-36 

41.62 

10.06 

31.56 

26.50 

10.13 

7-50 

5-31 

3.06 

8.31 

14.13 

16.75 

58.00 

97.19 


1  Buf  few  of  this  variety  reached  maturity, 

2  Tubers  2  oz.  or  more  in  w^eight. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


35 


four  plots,  including  the  three-foot  paths  which  separated  them,  thus 
insuring  the  same  rate  of  seeding  and  depth  of  covering.  After  the 
plants  were  up,  lines  were  stretched  and  the  paths  hoed  out.  The 
beet  seed  germinated  as  well  upon  plot  23  as  upon  any  one  of  the 
others,  but  the  young  plants  soon   stopped  growing,   turned  a  sickly 

E 


^    o 
o 

4> 

-.J 
ft 


C^ 


6  c< 


6     ^ 

u 

^     O 


red  hue  and  died.  The  beets  upon  plot  27,  where  nitrate  of  soda  was 
used,  made  some  growth,  but  not  a  profitable  one,  as  compared  with 
the  crop  produced  by  the  same  amount  of  fertilizer  in  connection  with 
lime  on  plot  29.     Spinach  and  lettuce  are  also  very  susceptible  to  soil 


^6  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

acidity  and  greatly  benefitted  by  the  use  of  lime  in  connection  with  nityatc 
of  soda  upon  such  soils. 

Tlie  reader  may  say  that  these  are  unusual  results  due  to  very 
peculiar  soil  conditions,  but  considerable  investigation,  very  many 
litmus  paper  soil  tests,  and  a  number  of  experiments  in  the  grow- 
ing of  beets,  barley,  clover  and  grass  (in  which,  however,  there 
was  no  comparison  of  forms  of  nitrogen)  show  that  very  large  areas  of 
land  in  this  and  other  states  are  affected  by  similar  conditions  to  a 


Sugar  Beets 
Plot  Nos.  29.     Limed.  27.     Unlimed.  25.     "Limed.  23.     Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

greater  or  less  extent.  These  plots  are  surrounded  by  hundreds  of 
acres  of  land  of  a  similar  character,  i.e.,  level,  light  sandy  loam,  naturally 
well  drained,  but  thin  soil,  more  or  less  exhausted  by  long  continued 
cropping,  so  that  the  above  results  can  by  no  means  be  claimed  as 
peculiar  to  the  particular  plots  used  for  the  experiment. 

Turning  to  the  limed  plots,  25  and  29,  we  find  that  nitrate  of  soda 
gave  greater  yields  in  2^  out  of  the  4j  iveights.  The  application  of  lime  was 


Table  Beets. 
Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.  27.    Unlimed.  25.     Limed.         23.     Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

quite  a  heavy  one,  about  two  and  three  fourths  tons  per  acre  (5400  lbs.,) 
and  further  investigation  has  shown  that  some  varieties  of  plants  were 
perhaps  injuriously  affected  by  the  large  application  of  lime  in  con- 
junction with  the  nitrate  of  soda.  This  is  particularly  applicable  to  the 
carrot,  which  should  be  planted  two  or  three  years  after  liming  rather 
than  immediately  after. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


37 


The  experiment  was  continued  upon  the  same  plots,  and  in   1894, 
potash,  phosphoric  acid  and  nitrogen  were  applied,  at  the  same   rate 


Celkry. 
Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.  27.    Unlimed.  25.    Limed.  23.    Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

and  in  the  same  forms,  upon  the  respective  plots  as  in  1893.  An 
additional  application  of  half  a  ton  per  acre  of  air-slaked  lime  was 
applied  to  plots  25  and  29,  which  had  been  limed  the  previous  season. 


Sorghum. 
Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.     27.    Unlimed.     25.    Limed.     23.    Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

This  Avas  done  because  the  soil  of  these  plots  was  found  to  be  still 
slightly  acid.  As  before,  the  different  crops  were  planted,  or  set  in  rows, 
generally  three  feet  apart,  directly  across  the   plots,  but  in  the  case 


38 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 

TABLE  II. 


1894 


Unlimed. 


Spinach 

Gumbo 

Sugar  beet 

Lettuce 

Salsify  (whole  plant) 

Celery 

Onion  (red)  .' 

' '       (yellow) 

Globe  Mangel-Avurzel 

Long         "  "     (roots  and  tops)  ...  . 

Table  beets 

Muskmelon  (fruit) , 

Late  cabbage  (trimmed  heads) 

Tobacco 

Egg-plant  (fruit) 

Cauliflower  (heads) 

Cucumber  (fruit) 

Sorghum 

Martynia  (whole  plant) 

Pepper  (fruit) 

Peanut  

Barley  (air  dried) 

Rape 

Red  clover  (air  dried) 

Potato,  Beauty  of  Hebron  (tubers) 

Potato,  Early  Rose  (tubers) 

Garden  peas , 

Kohl  Rabi 

Brussels  sprouts , 

Golden  wax  bean  (beans  and  pods,  ripe) 

Buckwheat  (air  dried) 

Rutabaga,  or  Swedish  turnip 

Tomato  (fruit) 

Sunflower 

Spring  wheat  (air  dried) 

Radish,  long  scarlet 

Turnip,  strop  leaf 

Early  Cabbage  (trimmed  heads) 

Danvers  carrot 

White  "      

Improved  long  orange  carrot 

Kale 

Sweet  corn 

Oats  (air  dried) 


Plot  23. 
Sulfate  of 
Amm'nia 
Lbs. 


0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.8 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
1.8 
2.3 
0.0 
0.7 
0.0 
1.0 
0.1 
3.8 
0.1 
0.0 
0.2 
5.2 
1.3 
0.1 
0.5 
6.3 
0.0 
0.8 
1.5 
13.9 
0.8 
0.1 
0.6 
2.5 
2.0 
0.6 
0.0 
0.0 
9.4 
0  0 
0.7 


Plot  27. 

Nitrate 

of  Soda. 

Lbs. 


O.I 
2.1 

3.0 
o  6 
2.5 
4-3 

2.0 

1.6 
5-3 
27.3 
II. 5 
71 
7.0 

9-5 

4.0 

1.8 

28.9 

23.6 

17.8 

2.3 

5-5 

1.8 

58.0 

4.1 

16.5 

9-3 
8.0 

5-9 

64.6 
2.4 
3.8 

45.5 
157.8 

59.3 
0.5 
4.6 

38.0 

55.3 
27.1 
16.4 
12. 1 
64.8 
48.3 
3.2 


L1.MED. 


Plot  25. 

Sulfate  of 

Amm  nia 

Lbs. 


20.0 

25.0 

3.1 

24.5 

23.0 

8.0 

8.5 

23.8 

51.1 

40.0 

29.9 

34.6 

38.3 

1.8 

1.8 

36.1 

58.4 

22.5 

4.5 

3.3 

3.6 

97.8 

9.5 

23.4 

8.3 

13.7 

9.3 

95.8 

3.3 

5.5 

59.8 

170.9 

69.3 

0.8 

1.8 

35.5 

71.3 

24.0 

13.4 

9.8 

95.0 

62.1 

4.6 


Plot  29. 

Nitrate 

of  Soda. 

Lbs. 


6.1 

23.8 

33.0 

6.0 

27.0 

40.5 
18.0 
13.0 
43-5 
135.0 
61.5 
33-4 
71.0 
43-0 
15. 1 
3.5 
87.3 
70.5 
50.6 

6.3 

3.9 

3.7 

114.4 

7.0 


9. 

14. 

9. 

lOI. 

3. 

5- 
66. 

215. 
84.0 

0.7 

6.3 

44.0 

63.1 
19.4 

19.4 

9.0 
94.4 
53.5 

3.5 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


of  beets,  spinach,  lettuce,  and  a  few  other  crops,  the  young  plants  upon 
plot  23  practically  all  died  before  the  time  when  the  second  or  third 
leaves  should  have  appeared.  On  the  preceding  page  we  give  a  con- 
densed table  of  the  results  obtained  in  1894: 

TABLE  II,  Continued. 


1894 


Dandelion 

Soy  bean 

Spring  rye  (air  dried) 

Cowpea 

German  millet  (air  dried) 

Common  white  bean  (whole  plant) 

Radish,  French  breakfast 

Golden  millet  (air  dried) 

Watermelon  (fruit) 

R.  I.  capped  corn  (ears  and  stover) 

Pumpkin  (fruit) 

Blue  Lupine  (air  dried) 

Sorrel  (common  weed) 


Unlimed. 


Plot  23. 

Sulfate  of 

Amm'nia 

Lbs. 


0.0 

4.8 
1.5 

10.4 
0.6 
1.0 
0.4 
0.5 

85.5 
0.0 
0.0 
2.9 

84.5 


Plot  27. 

Nitrate 

of  Soda. 

Lbs. 


16.6 

44.0 

3.9 

38 
7 
6 

3 

9 

249 

28.3 

87.2 

6.0 

76.0 


Limed. 


Plot  25.  j   Plot  29. 

Sulfate  of:  Nitrate 

Amm  nia   of  Soda. 

Lbs.  Lbs. 


16.8 

62.0 

3.9 

33.0 

5.3 

6.5 

1.6 

8.8 

141.7 

27.0 

31.5 

2.9 

7.0 


17.9 

46.5 
4.0 

36.0 
6.3 

6.0 

3-3 

8.4 
160.4 

17.3 

48.5 

1.4 

27-5 


Dandelion. 
Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.         27.    Unlimed.         25.    Limed.     23.    Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

In  this  trial  we  have  a  wide  variety  of  field  and  garden  crops,  and 
one  weed,  sorrel,  was  included  because  of  the  common  impression  that 


40  NITRATE    OP'    SODA 

it  thrives  best  upon  an  acid  soil.  In  the  57  records  made  in  the  above 
table,  comparing  the  unlimed  plots,  23  and  27,  we  find  that  this  season, 
as  well  as  last,  nitrate  of  soda  has  produced  a  greater  yield  in  every  instance 


Alfalfa. 
Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.     27.  Unlimed.      25.   Limed.         23.   Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

save  one,  sorrel,  where  sulfate  of  ammonia  gave  the  larger  crop.  In  22 
instances  there  was  no  crop  whatever  from  the  sulfate  of  ammonia 
plot,  while  in  not  a  single  instance  did  nitrate  of  soda  make  a  complete 
failure.  On  the  contrary,  nitrate  of  soda  ivitlioiit  liine^  in  twelve  instances, 
not  counting  sorrel,  produced  a  larger  crop  than  when  lime  was  added. 


GlRAL\.\     ^(ill.i.Kl'. 

Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.  27.   Unlimed.  2.').   Limed.  23.   Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  .Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

i\ll  manured  alike  with  Potash  aud  Phosphoric  Acid. 

Comparing  the  yields  from  the  /////cv/ plots,   25  and  29,  we  find  that 

tlie  crops  produced  I>y  nitrate  of  soda  Jiave  exceeded  those  produced  by 
sidfate  of  ammonia  in  44  eases  out  of  the  yy  recorded,  and  in  the  ij  ex- 
ceptions 'lUe  notice  that  in  6  instances  nitrate  of  soda  without  lime,  plot  2J^ 
has  given  larger  yields  than  sulfate  of  aniinonia  luith  li/ne,  plot  2j.     We 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


41 


therefore  find  tJiat  the  yields  from  nitrate  of  soda,  -cuit/i  or  without  the 
addition  of  lime,  have  exceeded  those  from  sulfate  of  ammonia  plus  lime,  in 
JO  out  of  ^y  trials,  embracing  a  great  variety  oj  field  and  garden  crops. 

In  1895,  12  varieties  of  grasses  were  sown  across  the  plots,  and  a 
number  of  vegetables,  cereals  and  miscellaneous  crops  were  again 
planted.      Some  modifications  of  the  previous  manuring  were  made,  as 


Yellow  Onions. 
Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.         37.    Unlimed.  25.    Limed.         23.    Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda,  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

follows:  owing  to  the  known  deficiency  of  phosphoric  acid  in  this  soil, 
the  application  of  dissolved  bone-black  was  increased  from  600  to  800 
pounds  per  acre:  the  amount  of  muriate  of  potash  was  also  increased 
from  180  to  350  pounds  per  acre:  the  amount  of  nitrate  of  soda  remained 
the  same  as  in  1894,  and  a  like  quantity  of  nitrogen,  in  the  form  of 
sulfate  of  ammonia,  was  applied,  each  upon  its  respective  plot.  No 
further  application  of  air-slaked  lime  was  made,  but  sulfate  of  magnesia 


KOHL-KABI. 

Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.      27.   Unlimed.  25.   Limed.        2o.   Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

at  the  rate  of  200  pounds  per  acre,  was  applied  to  all  the  plots.  "  This 
was  done  for  the  reason  that  previouslv  better  results  had  been  obtained 
from  the  limed  plot  which  received  nitrate  of  soda  than  from  the  other 
limed  plot  which  received  sulfate  of  ammonia,  differences  which  might 
have,  in  part,  been  attributed  to  the  liberation  of  magnesia  by  the  soda."' 
The  months  of  June  and  July  proved  to  be  very  wet  as  compared 
with  the  same  months  in  1894,  when  only  1.85  inches  of  rain  fell.     During 


42 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


those  two  months  in  1895,  9.19  inches  of  rain  fell.  It  has  been  observed 
that  in  very  wet  seasons  sulfate  of  ammonia  generally  produces  better 
results  than  in  dry  seasons.  This  may  be  due,  to  some  extent,  to  more 
rapid  nitrification  because  of  the  more  abundant  moisture,  and  no 
doubt,  also,  when  used  upon  acid  soils,  to  the  fact  that  the  larger 
amount  of  rain  falling  dilutes  the  soil  moisture  and  weakens  the  acid 


Early  Cabbage. 
Plot  Nos.  29.    Limed.  27.    Unlimed.  25.    Limed.         23.    Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

reaction,  so  that  the  soil  acidity  is  less  injurious  to  plants.  On  the 
other  hand,  such  excessive  rain  falls,  coming  just  after  nitrate  of  soda  has 
been  applied,  and  before  the  crop  has  had  opportunity  to  take  it  up,  is 
liable  to  carry  some  portion  of  the  nitrogen  down  below  the  reach  of 
the  plant  roots.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  following  table  of  weights  of 
field  and  garden  plots,  that  the  yields  from  sulfate  of  ammonia  com- 
pare more  favorably  with  those  from  nitrate  of  soda  than  heretofore. 


Watermelons. 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.     27.   Unlimed.  25.   Limed.  23.   LTnlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

There  are  24  weights  given  in  the  table,  and  only  five  absolute 
failures  from  plot  23,  sulfate  of  ammonia  without  lime.  The  crops 
which  absolutely  failed  were  alfalfa,  onions,  pumpkins,  muskmelons  and 
dandelions,  but  barley,  wheat,  celery,  mangel-wurzel  and  table  beets, 
carrots  and  cabbages  failed  to  produce  more  than  a  fraction  of  a  pound 
each.     This  plot,  however,  produced  the  heaviest  yield  of  watermelons, 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


43 


in  marked  contrast  to  the  utter  failure  of  the  muskmelons.  The  yield 
of  oats  and  rye  exceeded  that  produced  upon  plot  27,  with  nitrate  of 
soda,  by  less  than  a  pound  each.  Therefore,  in  spite  of  the  better  crops 
produced  by  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  on  plot  23,  the  yields  from  nitrate 
of  soda  on  plot  27  were  greater  in  the  case  of  21  out  of  24  crops.  Com- 
paring the  yields  upon  the  limed  plots,  we  find  that  nitrate  of  soda  gave 
the  larger  yield  with  10  crops  and  sulfate  of  ammonia  with  14,  but  two 
of  the  14,  field  corn  and  serradella,  only  exceeded  the  yield  from  nitrate 
of  soda  by  the  fraction  of  a  pound. 

TABLE  III. 


1895 


Barley  (avg.  of  2  rows) 

Wheat  "         "       

Oats  "         "       

Rye  "         "       

Sweet  corn  (ears  and  stover). 

Field  corn  "  " 

Pop-corn 

Panicum  crus-galli  (millet) . . 

Alfalfa  (1st  and  2nd  crop) .  . . 

Sorrel 

Serradella 

Blue  lupine 

Celery 

Onions  (Barletta) 

Pumpkins 

Beets,  mangel-wurzel 

Muskmelon 

Carrots 

Table  beets 

Cabbage  (trimmed  heads) .  .  . 

Kohl-rabi 

Dandelion 

Flat  turnip 


Unlimed. 


Plot  23. 

Sulfate  of 

Amm'nia 

Lbs. 


0 
0 
8 
2 
4 
2 
5 

11 

0 

108 

39 

30 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 

28 
Watermelon 186 


.18 


.78 
40 
,15 
.75 
.45 
.00 
.25 
05 
50 
05 
00 
00 
10 
00 
15 
20 
60 
80 
00 
50 
00 


Plot  27. 

Nitrate 

of  Soda. 

Lbs. 


4.35 

2.63 

8.15 

2.75 

25.00 

20.90 

44-56 

19.00 

5-6o 

124.60 

56.55 
44.00 
0.50 
2.50 
25.00 
24.10 
26.40 
43-00 
54.10 
57-IO 
33-50 
13.55 
80.00 
104.75 


Limed. 


Plot  25 

Sulfate  of 

Amm'nia 

Lbs. 


16.88 
6.90 
10.18 
8.23 
59.80 
22.35 
42.30 
17.20 
16.75 

108.60 
39.65 
29.25 
10.55 
9.70 
48.60 
90.65 
47.90 
83.85 

105 . 70 
70.40 
57.50 
20.62 

124.00 
20.60 


Plot  29. 

Nitrate 

of  Soda. 

Lbs. 


15.58 

5.03 

8.75 

2.05 

37.25 

22.25 

45-9« 

15.60 

10.60 

102.50 

39.05 

25.75 

13.80 

19.70 

134-05 
119.25 
64.60 

84-45 

99.45 

97-15 

53 .  55 
23-58 
107.80 

57-10 


GRASSES. 
The  grasses  were  sown  in  narrow  beds  across  the  four  plots,  the 
varieties  being  separated  by  a  cultivated  path.     As  the  seed  was  sown 


44 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


in  the  spring  of  1895,  a  full  crop  could  hardly  be  expected  that  season 
but  all  were  cut,  and  the  experiment  continued  for  two  more  seasons. 
For  convenience  and  brevity  we  combine  the  yields  for  the  three  years 


Timothy. 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.         27.  Unlimed.  25.   Limed.       23.   Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

in  one  table.  Each  variety  was  cut  when  in  full  bloom,  or  as  soon 
thereafter  as  possible.  The  weights  for  timothy  in  1895  were  un- 
fortunately lost.     The  weights  given  are  of  undried  material. 


Sweet  Corn  (Maize). 
Plot  No.  29.    Limed.     27.    Unlimed.  25.    Limed.         23.    Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

The  figures  in  the  following  table  do  not  represent  pure  cultures  of 
the  several  varieties,  for,  while  as  good  seed  as  could  be  had  was  used, 
there  was  some  intermixture  of  other  grasses,  or  plants,  in  every  case. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 

TABLE  IV. 


45 


Varieties  of  Grasses. 


Awnless  Brome  Grass, 
( Brom us  inennis). 

Totals, 

Meadow  Fox-tail, 

{A  lopeciirits  prateiisis). 

Totals, 

Tall  Fescue,  -        -        - 

{Festiica  elatior). 

Totals, 

Kentucky  Blue  Grass, 
{Poa  prateiisis. ) 

Totals, 

Red  Top,        -        -        -         - 
{Agros/i's  viclgaris). 

Totals, 

Orchard  Grass, 

{Dactylis  gloinerata). 

Totals, 

Meadow  Oat  Grass, 

{A vena  elatior.) 

Totals, 

Soft  Grass,  -        -        - 

(Holcus  lanattts). 

Totals, 

Rhode  Island  Bent, 

{Agrostis  canzna). 

Totals, 
Sweet  Vernal,     -        -         _ 
{Anthoxant hum  od.  piielli). 
Totals, 

Sheep's  Fescue,      -        -        . 
{Festuca  ovina). 

Totals, 
Timothy,      -        _         -        - 
{Phleiim  pratense). 

Totals, 


Year. 


1895 
1896 
1897 


1895 
1896 

1897 


1895 
1896 
1897 


1895 
1896 

1897 


1895 
1896 
1897 


1895 
1896 

1897 


1895 
1896 
1897 


1895 
1896 
1897 


1895 
1896 

1897 


1895 

1897 


1895 
1896 
1897 


1896 

1897 


Unlimed. 


Limed. 


Plot  23.  I  Plot  27. 
Sulfate  of  Nitrate 
Amm'niai  of  Soda. 
Lbs.  Lbs. 


11.25 
10.13 
9^30_ 
^80768" 


17.75 

13.15 

9.00 


39.90 


21.75 
26.70 
^4.30 


20.25 
24.45 
16.30 


61.00 


1.00 
14.45 
_^2.30 
T7775~ 


26.00 
32.25 
17.00 


72.25 


36 .  25 
27.70 
12.00 


75.95 


Plot  25 

Sulfate  of 

Amm'nia 

Lbs. 


27.00 

19.05 

9.50 


55 .  55 


36.00 

22.40 

_14^30 

72790 


11.00 

14.10 

4.30 

29.40 

^'24700" 
27.45 
12.50 


63.95 


24.40 
10.80 


60.95 


30.75 
20.50 
13.50 


64.75 


72.25 
19.15 
11.80 


103.20 


23.00 
29.50 
15.00 


67.50 


5.75 
3.70 


9.45 


3.75 

11.50 

8.30 


23.55 


21.10 
^4.10 
T572O" 


40.50 
25.30 
12.40 


78.20 


35.25 
24.30 
12,50 


72.05 


68.75 

20.92 

7.30 

"9679r 


21.00 
19.30 
13.30 


53.60 


9.00 

7.70 


16.70 


1.25 
7.55 
5.30 


14.10 


25.30 
20.40 


41.00 
25.30 
11.50^ 

77.80" 


42.50 
34.10 
22.80 
99740" 

"iOkT 

16.50 
3.30 


35.80 


28.00 
29.65 
14.00 


71.65 


42.00 
29.30 
15.90 


Plot  29. 

Nitrate 

of  Soda. 

Lbs. 


27.50 

15.90 

9.50 

^52790" 

~T77oo" 

24.60 
15.80 
87:40 


44.50 
33.65 
25.00 


103.15 

"T3725" 

17.00 

7.00 


37.25 


28.00 
25.75 
17.50 


71.25 


47.00 
34.55 
15.30 


87.20 


34.75 
24.15 
11.50 


?0.40 


75.25 
26.20 
11.00 


112.45 


25.27 
25.35 
10.50 


61.12 


9.25 
6.10 


15.35 


2.50 
13.90 

8.50 


24.90 


31.05 

23.80 

54.85 


96.85 


38.25 
28.10 
16.80 


83.15 


69.75 
24.50 
17.00 


111.25 


20.75 
22.70 
18.50 


61.95 


8.00 
9.20 


17.20 


1.25 
11.40 
12.50 


25. »5 


80.80 
23.70 
"54750" 


46 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


Upon  plot  23,  in  the  case  of  Kentucky  blue  grass,  orchard  grass,  timothy, 
and  some  others,  the  soil  conditions  appeared  to  be  unfavorable  to 
their  growth,  and  they  only  persisted  in  a  feeble  way,  or  gave  place  to 
coarser  plants.     In  harvesting  it  was  impossible  to  separate  each  variety 


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from  such  an  admixture,  and  therefore  the  figures  are  the  weights  for 
the  green  material  growing  upon  each  narrow  row,  and,  in  the  case  of 
the  above  named  grasses,  the  quality  of  the  crop  secured  from  the 
nitrate  of  soda,  plot  27,  and  the  limed  plots,  25  and  29,  was  much 
superior  to  that  from  plot  23. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER.  47 

By  comparing  the  figures  in  the  case  of  the  unlimed  plots,  we  find 
that  eight  of  the  varieties  produced  a  heavier  yield  from  nib-ate  of  soda, 
plot  27,  and  four  from  sulfate  of  ammonia,  plot  23.  Of  the  varieties 
of  Agrostis — red  top  and  Rhode  Island  bent — two  of  the  four  produced 
their  heaviest  crop  upon  plot  23.  Their  thrifty  growth  upon  this 
plot,  as  compared  with  that  of  Kentucky  blue  grass,  orchard  grass  and 
timothy,  showed  plainly  that  they  were  able  to  grow  upon  soils  where 
the  conditions  were  such  as  to  preclude  the  profitable  growth  of  the 
last-named  grasses. 

Turning  to  the  limed  plots  we  find  that  he7-e  also  nitrate  of  soda 
gave  the  greatest  total  yield  in  8  out  of  the  12  varieties,  and  in  the  other  4 
instances  the  difference  in  favor  of  the  sulfate  of  ammonia  was  slight. 
In  this  three  vear  trial  with   12  varieties  of  grasses,  nitrate  of  soda  was 


Sweet  Vernal-Grass. 

Plot  23.     Unlimed.     Plot  25.    Limed.     Plot  27.     Unlimed.     Plot  29.    Limed. 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia.  Nitrate  of  Soda. 

All  manured  alike  with  potash  and  phosphoric  acid. 

found  to  be  of  superior  value,  not  only  in  power  of  production,  but  in  promot- 
ing the  growth  of  certain  of  our  most  commonly  cultivated  and  most  valuable 
grasses,  as  timothy,  orchard  grass  and  Kentucky  blue  grass. 

NURSERY   STOCK. 

A  limited  variety  of  fruit  and  shade  trees  was  set  on  a  portion  of 
these  plots  in  the  spring  of  1896.  The  stock  was  selected  for  the  pur- 
pose, the  trees  of  each  kind  as  nearly  uniform  in  size  and  apparent 
vigor  as  possible.  Any  slight  differences  were  equalized,  when  pos- 
sible, in  dividing  up  the  stock  for  setting  across  the  four  plots.  A  like 
number  of  trees  of  each  kind  was  set  on  each  plot,  and  they  were 
pruned  in  a  uniform  manner.  In  1869  the  diameter  of  each  tree  was 
taken  with  calipers  at  the   beginning  and  end  of  the  season,  and  the 


48 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


difference  in  the  measurements  showed  the  growth.  The  figures  given 
in  the  table  in  each  case  are  the  average  for  all  the  trees  of  each  kind 
on  each  plot.  The  diameters  are  given  in  centimeters.  The  length  of 
new  growth  was  carefully  measured,  and  the  average  for  all  the  trees 
of  each  kind  was  found  for  each  plot,  and  is  given  in  inches  in  the 
tables.  In  1897  it  was  impracticable  to  measure  the  length  of  new 
shoots,  and  the  increase  in  diameter  only  is  given. 

A  glance  at  the  table  will  show  the  superior  effect  of  nitrate  of  soda 
as  compared  with  sulfate  of  ammonia,  in  its  influence  upon  the  growth 
of  nursery  stock.      Many  years  ago  Ruffin,  in  writing  of  Virginia  soils, 


Sunflower. 
Plot  Nos.  29.     Limed.         27     Unlimed.  25.     Limed.     23.     Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

and  of  their  improvement  through  the  use  of  marls,  we  think  called 
attention  to  the  fact  that  white  birches  and  yellow  pines,  when  consti- 
tuting the  natural  growth  upon  land,  indicate  a  lack  of  lime  in  the 
soil,  /.  (?.,  they  naturally  thrive  upon  acid  soils.  We  are  therefore  not 
surprised  to  find  that  the  white  birch  made  its  best  growth  in  1896, 
upon  the  sulfate  of  ammonia,  although  the  next  year  the  largest  aver- 
age gain  in  diameter  was  made  upon  the  nitrate  of  soda,  plot  27,  as 
compared  with  the  sulfate  of  ammonia,  plot  23.     In  average  growth  of 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


49 


new  wood,  in  all  but  2  instances  in  the  case  of  the  9  kinds  of  trees,  the 
greater  growth  was  made  upon  the  nitrate  of  soda,  plot  27,  as  compared 
with  plot  23.  Comparing  the  measurements  made  upon  the  limed 
plots,  the  greater  increase  in  average   diameter  was   made   upon   the 


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nitrate  of  sod^x,  plot  2q,  in  14  out  of  i"/  instances^  and  the  greater  average 
growth  of  new  woyd  in  11  out  of  75  measurements.  The  latter  included 
every  average  measurement  in  the  case  of  the  grapes  and  currants. 
Before  closing  with  the  experiment  we  wish  to  notice  the  yield  of 
small  fruits  in  1897.     The  weights  are  in  grams  as  follows  , 


5° 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


Small  Fruits, 
1897. 


Strawberries:  Lady  Rusk 

"  Haverland 

"  Chas.  Downing. 

Currants:  Fay's  Prolific 

White  Dutch 

Gooseberry:   Smith's  Improved 


Unlimed. 


Plot  23. 
Sulfate  of 
Amm'nia 

Grams. 


63.4 
58.3 

15.2 

9.0 

253.7 

88.0 


Plot  27. 
Nitrate 
of  Soda. 
Grams. 


242.2 
237.6 
351-0 

28.5 

304.5 
1428.0 


Limed. 


Plot  25. 
Sulfate  of 
Amm'nia 

Grams. 


264.9 
870.2 
312.3 
31.5 
281.0 
1505.0 


Plot  29. 

Nitrate 
of  Soda. 
Grams. 


203.7 
351.1 

519.3 

89.6 

352.6 

1614.0 


This  experiment  has  well  demonstrated  that  upon  soils  which  give 
an  acid  reaction — and  such  are  far  more  common  than  is  generally 
supposed — nitrogen  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda,  in  connection  with 
phosphoric  acid  and  potash^  gives  far  more  profitable  returns  than  sulfate  of 
ammonia.  This  fact  is  attested  by  the  largely  increased  growth  of 
nearly  all  of  a  hundred  or  more  kinds  and  varieties  of  field  and 
garden  crops,  and  a  large  majority  of  a  dozen  of  the  more  common 
grasses  and  representatives  of  orchard  and  fruit  trees,  grapes  and 
small  fruits. 


Yellow  Carrot  (Danvers). 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.     27.   Unlimed.  25.   Limed.     23.   Unlimed. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

It  has  also  shown  that  the  application  of  air-slaked  lime  in  con- 
nection with  nitrate  of  soda,  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  will,  upon  acid 
soils,  generally  render  the  fertilizers  more  effective  and  increase  the 
crops.  The  plants  which  are  notable  exceptions  to  this  rule  are  the 
lupines,  serradella  and  watermelon,  two  varieties  of  Argrostis — red  top 
and  Rhode  Island  bent — and  the  white  birch. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER.  5 1 

Liming  is  not  particularly  injurious  to  sorrel,  as  it  will  thrive  upon 
acid  soils,  with  or  without  liming,  if  given  an  opportunity.  The  acid 
condition  of  some  soils  forbids  the  growth  of  many  cultivated  plants 
and  grasses,  and  sorrel  comes  in  naturally  to  cover  the  vacant  spaces. 
Liming  and  the  use  of  nitrate  of  soda  tend  to  correct  the  acidity,  and 
the  soil  conditions  are  changed  so  that  cultivated  plants  can  grow,  and 
sorrel  is  crowded  out. 

One  great  advantage  in  the  use  of  niti^ate  of  soda  commonly  over- 
looked is,  without  doubt,  the  fact  that  a  basic  residue  is  probably  left 
in  the  soil  when  the  nitrogen  is  used  by  the  plant,  the  tendency  of 
which  is,  doubtless,  to  modify  soil  acidity.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
residue  from  sulfate  of  ammonia  is  likely  acid  in  character,  and  the 
tendency,  therefore,  is  to  aggravate  the  condition  of  a  soil  already 
acid. 

AN    EXPERIMENT   WITH    POTATOES.  ^ 

In  1896  and  1897  potatoes  were  grown  upon  plot  38  for  the  pur- 
pose of  testing  various  combinations  of  fertilizers,  the  experiment 
being  in  charge  of  the  Director.  One  of  four  questions  involved  was 
the  relative  effect  of  dried  blood  and  nitrate  of  soda  as  sources  of  nitro- 
gen for  the  potato  crop.  The  plot  was  divided  into  sections  for  the 
experiment,  and  numbers  i,  3  and  4  were  used  in  this  particular  in- 
quiry. Like  quantities  of  muriate  of  potash  and  dissolved  phosphate 
rock  were  applied  to  each  section,  and  equal  amounts  of  nitrogen,  in 
its  respective  forms,  to  the  several  sections.  Section  i  received  half 
its  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  dried  blood  and  half  in  nitrate  of  soda.  The 
following  table  gives  the  yields  for  two  years,  calculated  to  bushels 
per  acre  : 

1  Tenth  Annual  Report,  R.  I.  Expt.  Station. 


5^ 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


53 


POTATO  EXPERIMENT,  1896  and   1897. 


No. 
of 
Sec- 
tion 

Source  of  Nitrogen'. 

Ra- 
tion 

Year 

Yields  of  Tubers  in 
Bushels  per  Acre. 

Total. 

Large. 

Small. 

(  Dried  Blood 

1 
1 

1 

1 

1896 
1897 

1896 
1897 

1896 

1897 

289.26 
246.90 

209.75 
120.96 

1 

]  Nitrate  of   Soda 

79.51 

(  Dried  Blood 

1 

1  Nitrate  of   Soda 

125.94 

Average, 
Dried  Blood       

268.08 

165  35 

102.72 

3 

299.78 
260.80 

211.61 
127.46 

88.17 

3 

133.34 

Average, 
Nitrate  of  Soda 

280.29 

169.53 

110.75 

4 

302.26 
284.31 

198.00 
148.80 

104.26 

4 

Average, 

135.51 

293.29 

173-40 

119.88 

1 

Comparing  the  average  yields  for  the  two  years,  we  find  that  sec- 
tion 4,  the/////  ration  of  nitrate  of  soda,  has  given  the  largest  crop  ;  dried 
blood,  section  3,  ranks  second  ;  and  the  half  ration  of  each,  section  3, 
produced  the  least. 

The  average  yield  from  the  full  ration  oi  nitrate  of  soda  was  13 
bushels  in  total  crop — 3.87  bushels  of  large  potatoes  and  9.13  bushels  of 
small  ones  more  than  the  average  produced  by  the  full  ration  of  dried 
blood  on  section  3. 

The  average  yield  from  the  full  ration  of  nitrate  of  soda  was  23.21 
bushels  vci  totdl  crop — 8.05  bushels  of  large  potatoes  and  17.16  bushels 
of  small  ones,  more  than  the  average  produced  by  the  half  ration  each 
of  dried  blood  and  nitrate  of  soda  on  section  i. 


POT   EXPERIMENTS. 

The  following  is  condensed  from  an  article  1  entitled,  "  Observa- 
tions regarding  the  relative  assimilability  of  various  forms  of  nitrogen 
upon  an  acid  soil,  limed  and  unlimed,"  and  contains  the  results  of  an 
experiment  which   was  begtm   in   1893   and  continued  through  1897. 

1  Tenth  Annual  Report,  R.  I.  Expt.  Station,  1897,  pages  241  to  253.  By 
Dr.  H.  J.  Wheeler,  B.  L.  Hartwell  and  G.  E.  Adams. 


54 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


This  experiment  was  conducted  in  galvanized  iron  pots  or  cans, 
i8  inches  in  diameter  and  26  inches  deep,  sunk  in  the  soil  of  a  yard 
made  for  the  purpose.  Proper  drainage  was  provided  to  guard 
against  water  flowing  into  the  pots  from  the  outside.  In  each  pot  was 
placed  154  pounds  of  subsoil  and  100  pounds  of  surface  soil  taken 
from  plot  00  of  the  co-operative  experiment.  The  soil  was  a  sandy 
loam  with  yellow  loam  subsoil,  and  it  had  received  no  manure  what- 
ever for  many  years.     Great  care  was  taken  to  insure  a  uniform  qual- 


Spring  Rye. 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.     27.   Unlimed.      25.    Limed.     23.   Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

ity  of  soil  in  all  the  pots.  Like  quantities  of  dissolved  bone-black, 
muriate  of  potash,  and  nitrogen  in  the  several  forms  have  been  annu- 
ally added  to  each  pot.  Four  pots  were  assigned  to  each  form  of 
nitrogen,  two  of  which  were  treated,  the  first  year,  with  air-slaked 
lime  at  the  rate  of  4  tons  per  acre,  and  the  other  two  were  unlimed. 
No  further  application  of  lime  has  been  made.  The  dried  blood  used 
has  been  from  the  same  lot,  containing  12.45  P^^  cent,  of  nitrogen. 
"Pennsylvania  tankage,"  containing  8.9  per  cent,  'of  nitrogen,  was 
used  in  1893  and  1894,  and  since  then,  finely  ground  leather,  containing 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


55 


7.06  per  cent,  of  nitrogen,  has  been  substituted.  Indian  corn  was 
raised  in  1893,  but,  owing  to  the  individuality  of  the  plants  and  the 
small  number  which  could  be  grown  in  each  pot,  the  results  were 
unsatisfactory  and  the  figures  are  omitted.  In  1894  oats  were  grown. 
When  in  the  "  milk  "  they  were  cut,  and  dried  at  100°  C.  The  follow- 
ing table  gives  the  weight  for  each  pot  in  grams : 


Oats. 
Plot  Nos.  29.   Limed.     27.   Unlimed.      25.   Limed.     23.   Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 


56 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


POT  EXPERIMENT.— TABLE  I. 


No. 

OF 

Pot. 

Limed. 

Unlimed. 

OATS,  1894. 

Grams 

Grams 

per  pot. 

per  pot. 

f 

20 

17.2 

Without  Nitrogen 

1 

27 
23 

55 

8 

19.4 

■ 

24 
6 

60 

2 

59.4 

Nitrate  of  Soda 

13 

7 

78 

6 

69.9 

14 

69 

9 

18 

7.1 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia 

25 
19 

72 

9 

14.0 

^ 

26 

83 

1 

f 

4 

58.9 

Dried  Blood. 

11 
5 

67 

9 

50.3 

f 

12 

2 

68 

1 

45.7 

' '  Pennsylvania   Tankage  " 

1 
J 

9 

3 

73 

1 

47.3 

i 

I 

10 

76 

5 

In  the  case  of  the  imlinied  plots,  nitrate  of  soda  produced  consider- 
ably better  results  than  any  other  form  of  nitrogen. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 


57 


In  1895  spring  rye  was  sown,  harvested   in  the  "milk,"  and  dried 
at  100°  C.     The  weight  in  grams  per  pot  was  as  follows  : 

POT    EXPERIMENT.— TABLE    II. 


SPRING  RYE,  1895. 


Without  Nztroo-e?t. 


Nitrate  of  Soda 


Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 


Dried  Blood. 


Ground  Leather. 


No. 

Limed. 

Unlimed 

OF 

Pot. 

Grams 
per  pot. 

Grams 
per  pot. 

20 

4.2 

27 

3.8 

23 

56.7 

24 

44.6 

6 

22.7 

13 

24.5 

7 

118.7 

14 

93.6 

18 

0.6 

25 

1.0 

19 

108.4 

26 

97.5 

4 

1.0 

11 

1.7 

5 

117.6 

12 

100.5 

2 

3.9 

9 

8.9 

8 

64.9 

10 

76.3 

"  The  superiority  of  nitrate  of  soda  as  a  form  of  nitrogen  for  acid  soils 
is  again  strikingly  manifested." 


RESULTS   WITH    BARLEY    IN    1896. 

"For  the  reason  that  plants  of  the  same  kind,  weighing  exactly 
alike,  may  contain  unlike  amounts  of  nitrogen,  and  since  the  actual 
amount  of  nitrogen  in  plants  is  dependent,  within  certain  limits,  upon 
the  quantity  of  that  element  present  in  assimilable  form  within  the 
soil,  the  quantities  of  nitrogen  removed  from  the  soil  by  the  crop  have, 
in  most  cases,  been  determined.  By  this  means,  much  more  reliable 
information  is  furnished  as  to  the  relative  assimilability  of  the  several 
forms  of  nitrogenous  manures." 


58 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 

POT  EXPERIMENT.— TABLE  III. 


6 
b 

pL, 

Limed. 

Unlimed. 

BARLEY,  1896. 

Grams  of  barley 
hay  per  pot. 

Per  cent,  of  nitro- 
gen in  the  crop 
(fully  dried). 

Grams  of  nitrogen 

obtained  from  the 

soil  by  the  crop. 

>-i 

^  o 

S  OS 

Per  cent,  of  nitro- 
gen in  the  crop 
(fully  dried). 

Grams  of  nitrogen 

obtained  from  the 

soil  by  the  crop. 

20 

9.61 

1.75 

0.168 

Without  Nitrogen  . . 

- 
1 

27 
23 

58.67 

1.14 

0.791 

8.18 

1.14 

0.093 

I 

24- 

69.26 

1.00 

0.693 

- 

6 

51.07 

2.29 

1.170 

Nitrate  of  Soda 

13 

7 

100.32 

2.17 

2.177 

51.12 

2.43 

1.242 

14 

103.56 

2.07 

2.144 

f 

18 

* 

* 

* 

Sulfate  of  AininoniL 

1 

J 
1 

25 
19 

102.48 

2.00 

2.050 

2.46 

* 

* 

26 

98.78 

1.66 

1.646 

- 

4 

21.26 

2.32 

0.493 

Dried  Blood 

- 

11 

5 

12 

118.21 
120.52 

1.73 
1.66 

2.045 
2.000 

82.85 

2.27 

0.746 

' 

2 

11.20 

1.89 

0.212 

Ground  Leather ..  . 

1 

9 

3 
10 

73.90 
79.14 

1.23 
1.22 

0.909 
0.966 

11.71 

2.06 

.... 

0.241 

*  Not  determined,  owing  to  small  amount  of  substance. 

In  the  limed  series  it  will  be  seen  that,  so  far  as  concerns  the 
weight  of  dry  matter  in  the  crop,  dried  blood  proved  superior  to  either 
sulfate  of  ammonia  or  nitrate  of  soda,  yet  the  plants  receiving  nitrate  of 
soda  actually  removed  the  larger  amount  of  nitrogen  from  the  soil.  In  this 
instance  the  weight  of  the  crop  fails  to  indicate  properly  the  relative 
assimilability  of  the  nitrogen  of  the  dried  blood  and  the  nitrate  of  soda. 

Dried  blood  in  the  unlimed  series  exceeded  leather  in  yield  and 
amount  of  nitrogen  removed.  ^'■Nitrate  of  soda  as  a  source  of  nitrogen 
on  an  acid  soil  has  again  shown  its  marked  superiority,  the  total  product  of 
barley  hay,  and  the  amount  of  nitrogen  removed  being  far  greater  in  the  case 
of  those  pots  than  in  any  of  the  others. 

Deducting  the  amount  of  nitrogen  found  in  the   crop  from  the 


AS    A    FERTILIZER. 

POT  EXPERIMENT.— TABLE  IV. 


59 


BARLEY,   1897. 


f 
I 
WitJioiit  Nitroo-en.  .  \ 
I 
I 


Nitrate  of  Soda. 


Sulfate  of  Ammonia 


\ 
I 

Dried  Blood \ 

I 

I 


I 

Ground  Leather . .  .  ■  \ 

I 

I 


20 
27 
23 
24 
6 
13 

14 
18 
25 
19 
26 
4 
11 
5 

12 

2 

9 

3 

10 


Limed. 


o 

<D 

^ 

o3   O 

H 

/2    Ph 

O 

<+-,    s- 

Ph 

o  <u 

CO    ^ 

2^ 

o 

32.79 
27.19 


80.  SI 
75. 8f 


79.96 
61.95 


85.37 

87.26 


o  , 


^^ 


3'^ 


30.45 
.40.96 


2.02 
1.91 


PI 

1) 

U) 

-t-J 

p^ 

^1 

a 

o 

o 

f< 

;^ 

t+j 

M 

<+J 

T1 

+j 

<D 

>. 

tfi 

O^ 

H 

rt 

, — 1 

u 

o 

O 

u 

1.623 
1.449 


1.76        1.407 
1.89        1.171 


1.60 
1.67 


1.53 
1.26 


1.366 

1.457 


0.466 
0.516 


Unlimed. 


r^    pH 

o  aJ 
Pi 


O 


4. 

69 

2 

40 

43 

33 

28 

24 

1 

23 

12 

31 

3 

8 

06 

9 

.74 

.1^  o  ^ 


PL, 


be 


95 


0.851 
0.570 


0.240 


0.135 
0.156 


1  Not  determined,  owing  to  small  amount  of  substance. 

8  This  pot  received  caustic  magnesia  in  1896  and  1897,  and  results  are  re- 
served for  publication  elsewhere, 
s  Waterlogged. 

pots  without  nitrogen,  from  that  in  the  pots  when  nitrogen  was  added, 
and  then  letting  loo  represent  the  average  amount  of  nitrogen  taken 
from  the  soil  by  the  plants  in  the  nitrate  of  soda  pots,  we  obtain  the 
following  values  for  the  nitrogen,  which  the  plants  were  able  to  obtain 
from  the  other  forms  of  nitrogen  employed. 

Limed. 
Pots.  Average. 

Nitrate  of  Soda.  . , 23.   24 100.0 

Sulfate  of  Ammonia 19.  26 92.2 

Dried  Blood 5.   12 90.3 

Ground  Steamed  Leather 3.  10 13.8 


Unlimed. 
Pots.             Average. 
20.  27 100.0 


4.   11 45.5 

2.     9 0.9 


6o 


NITRATE    OF    SODA 


"These  results  bring  out  plainly  the  fact  that  upon  an  acid  soil, 
where  nitrification  progresses  but  slowly,  much  of  the  money  invested 
in  the  best  forms  of  organic  nitrogen,  such  as  blood,  meat  and  fish,  is 
practically  wasted ;  and  since  these  forms  make  up  the  major  part  of 
the  nitrogen  of  most  of  the  commercial  fertilizers  sold  in  the  state,  the 
importance  of  testing  the  soils  for  acidity,  and  of  supplying  lime 
where  needed,  cannot  be  too  strongly  insisted  upon." 


Barley. 
Plot  Nos.  39.     Limed.     27.     Unlimed.         25.     Limed.     23.     Unlimed. 
Nitrate  of  Soda.  Sulfate  of  Ammonia. 

All  manured  alike  with  Potash  and  Phosphoric  Acid. 

The  superiority  of  nitrate  of  soda  as  a  source  of  nitrogen  over  organic 
forms  could  hardly  be  more  clearly  demonstrated.  On  a  well-limed 
soil  it  is  shown  to  furnish  nearly  S per  cent,  more  available  nitrogen  than 
sulfate  of  ammonia,  and  about  lo per  cent,  more  than  good  dried  blood. 
In  the  case  of  an  acid  unlimed  soil,  it  is  practically  loo  per  cent,  more 
profitable  to  use  than  sulfate  of  ammonia  or  steamed  leather,  and  fur- 
nishes j.^.5 /if  r  cent,  more  available  nitrogen  than  dried  blood. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER.  6l 


SUGGESTIONS   REGARDING  THE   USE   OF 
NITRATE   OF  SODA   AND   LIME. 


NITRATE  OF  SODA  is  valuable  as  a  fertilizer  upon  any  soil  in 
field,  garden  or  greenhouse,  in  which  additional  nitrogen  is 
required  for  maximum  plant  growth,  and  when,  for  any  reason,  a  soil 
is  acid,  it  becomes  probably  the  most  efficient  form  of  nitrogenous 
material  to  apply.  This  is,  doubtless,  because  of  the  fact  that  what 
remains  in  the  soil  after  the  nitrogen  is  used  by  plant  growth  seems, 
in  a  measure,  to  neutralize  the  soil  acidity  and  thereby  give  better 
conditions  for  the  thrifty  growth  of  most  agricultural  plants.  Soils 
upon  which  clover  and  timothy  fail  to  make  a  "catch"  when  sown, 
and  where  red-top  {Agrostis  vulgaris)  quickly  takes  the  place  of  tim- 
othy, and  forms  the  bulk  of  the  hay  crop  ;  soils  where  the  cultivated 
grasses  soon  die  out  and  give  place  to  wild  grasses,  rushes  and  sorrel  ; 
soils  where  wheat  and  barley  fail  to  thrive,  and  soils  where  beets,  spin- 
ach and  lettuce  fail  altogether,  or  make  but  a  feeble  growth,  a7^e  most 
probably  acid,  and  should  be  promptly  tested  for  acidity.  If  a  soil  is 
acid — when  tested,  changing  a  blue  litmus  paper  to  a  reddish  color 
sometimes  approaching  a  brick-red — it  is  economy  to  use  some  other 
agent  in  addition  to  nitrate  of  soda  for  correcting  the  acid  condition. 

The  most  convenient  and,  generally,  cheaper  materials  for  this 
purpose  are  air-slaked  lime  and  wood  ashes,  both  leached  and  un- 
leached.  The  fact  that  applications  of  wood  ashes  often  show  a 
marked  effect  for  many  years  is,  doubtless,  due  to  the  influence  of  the 
thirty  or  more  per  cent,  of  carbonate  of  lime  which  they  contain, 
along  with  other  carbonates,  all  of  which  neutralize  acidity  and  help 
to  promote  nitrification  in  acid  soils  deficient  in  lime.  One  ton  per 
acre  of  air-slaked  lime  is  capable  of  producing  surprising  results  when 
used  with  other  fertilizers  upon  acid  soils,  and  the  application  of  lime 
Jias  to  be  made  but  once  in  several  rears.     In  connection  with  the  "  Phos- 


62  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

phate  experiment"  at  the  Rhode  Island  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station, 1  upon  a  sandy  loam  soil,  so  acid  and  infertile  that  without 
lime  or  fertilizers  Indian  corn  will  not  grow  more  than  from  four  to 
six  inches  high,  one  ton  of  air-slaked  lime  per  acre,  applied  in  1894,  and 
annual  applications  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  muriate  of  potash,  with 
suitable  quantities  of  phosphoric  acid  in  different  forms,  but  no  further 
application  of  lime,  has  produced  an  increase  in  the  total  hay  crop  of 
1896-97  and  the  first  crop  of  1898,  of  8889  pounds  of  hay,  as  compared 
with  the  total  yield  from  the  unlimed  plots.  This  gain  of  practically 
four  and  a  half  tons  of  hay  per  acre  in  three  years  is  the  direct  result 
of  the  application  of  one  ton  of  air-slaked  lime  in  1894.  In  addition 
to  increase  in  quantity,  the  quality  of  the  hay  from  the  limed  plots  has 
been  superior  to  that  from  those  unlimed. 

SEEDING  TO  GRASS. 
This  is  probably  the  best  time  in  the  rotation  to  apply  lime  or 
ashes.  If  the  latter  are  used,  about  100  bushels,  or  two  tons  per  acre, 
should  be  applied  ;  spread  them  evenly,  and  work  them  well  into  the 
soil.  If  lime  is  used,  one  to  two  tons  per  acre  is  generally  suflficient. 
Too  much  lime  may  be  as  injurious  as  too  little.  If  purchased  as  a 
waste  product  already  slaked,  spread  evenly  upon  the  field,  and  work 
into  the  soil  by  thorough  harrowing.  If  purchased  in  the  caustic,  or 
freshly-burned  state,  haul  to  the  field  and  place  in  heaps  of  about  one 
half  barrel  each  at  proper  distances  over  the  field.  With  a  watering- 
pot  spray  about  one  and  a  quarter  pails  of  water  upon  each  heap,  and 
cover  with  a  few  shovel-fulls  of  moist  earth.  In  one  or  two  days  the 
heaps  will  have  slaked  to  a  fine  dry  powder,  which  can  best  be  spread 
from  a  scoop-shovel.  Select,  if  possible,  a  time  w^hen  there  is  no  wind 
to  interfere  with  the  spreading,  but  it  is  desirable  to  spread  it  and 
harrow  it  in  before  any  heavy  rain  falls.  If  any  lumps  remain 
unslaked,  and  the  field  is  to  be  immediately  seeded,  they  should  be 
gathered  up  and  removed,  as,  otherwise,  they  would  be  slaked  by  the 
first  fall  of  rain,  and,  thereby,  kill  all  the  seed  in  the  vicinity  of  each 
lump,  though  it  be  no  larger  than  a  hickory-nut.  If  the  lime  can  be 
spread,  harrowed  in,  and  the  seeding  postponed  until  after  a  good  rain 
has  fallen,  all  small  lumps  will  then  have  become  slaked,  and  the 
lime  more   thoroughly  incorporated  with  the  soil   by  the   additional 

1  See  Annual  Reports  for  1896  and  1897. 


AS    A    FERTILIZER.  63 

cultivation.  Caustic  lime  increases  in  weight  about  27.5  per  cent,  by 
dry-slaking  with  a  small  quantity  of  water.  When  eight  barrels  of 
caustic  lime,  250  pounds  net  each,  are  used  per  acre,  the  dressing  is 
equivalent  to  one  and  a  quarter  tons  of  air-slaked  lime. 

If  phosphoric  acid  in  some  insoluble  form,  as  fine  ground  bone, 
slag  meal,  or  floats  is  used  in  the  fertilizer,  it  is  doubtless  best  to  make 
a  liberal  application  at  time  of  seeding,  and  to  confine  the  subsequent 
top-dressing  mainly  to  applications  of  potash  and  nitrate  of  soda  ;  but 
if  soluble  phosphates  are  used,  as  dissolved  bone-black,  dissolved  bone, 
or  dissolved  phosphate  rock,  a  lighter  application  should  be  made  at 
seeding-time,  especially  if  done  in  the  autumn,  and  then  phosphoric 
acid  should  be  regularly  included  in  the  spring  top-dressing.  If  seed- 
ing is  done  in  the  early  fall,  and  the  soil  has  been  tolerably  well  fertil- 
ized for  previous  crops,  so  as  to  be  in  good  condition,  either  of  the 
following  formulas  may  be  used  : 

Fall  Seeding  No.   i. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 5°  to  100  pounds  per  acre. 

Muriate  of  Potash 5°  to  100         "  " 

Fine  ground  Bone ,  .400  to  600         "  " 

Slag  meal  (Thomas  slag)  600  to  800  pounds,  or  floats  (raw  phos- 
phate rock  finely  ground)  800  to  1000  pounds  may  be  used  in  place  of 
the  fine  ground  bone  with  about  equally  good  effect.  Each  spring, 
following  the  seeding,  just  after  the  grass  begins  to  start  into  growth, 
the  following  top-dressing  should  be  applied  : 

Nitrate  of  Soda 130  pounds  per  acre. 

Muriate  of  Potash 100         "  '' 

If  the  field  is  kept  in  grass  more  than  three  years,  about  300 
pounds  of  dissolved  bone-black,  or  its  equivalent  in  dissolved  phos- 
phate rock  or  dissolved  bone,  should  be  regularly  added  to  the  spring 
top-dressing.  The  above  formula  can  be  equally  well  used  for  spring 
seeding,  although  in  the  latter  case  the  nitrate  of  soda  and  muriate  of 
potash  should  be  increased  by  the  amount  used  in  the  spring  top- 
dressing. 

If  soluble   phosphates  are  used,  and  the  seeding  is  done  in  the 
early  fall,  the  following  formula  will  do  good  service  : 
Fall  Seeding  No.  2. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 5°  to  100  pounds  per  acre. 

Muriate  of  Potash 50  to  100         "  " 

Dissolved  Bone-Black 150  to  250         "  " 


64  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

From  200  to  300  pounds  of  dissolved  phosphate  rock  may  be  sub- 
stituted for  the  bone-black  if  found  to  cost  less.  If  the  above  formula 
is  used,  the  following  top-dressing  should  be  applied  each  spring  when 
the  growth  of  grass  begins  : 

Nitrate  of  Soda 120  pounds  per  acre. 

Muriate  of  Potash 120         "  " 

Dissolved  Bone-Black  or  Phosphate 

Rock 300 

Formula  No.  2  may  be  used  for  spring  seeding  by  adding  to  it  the 
top-dressing  intended  for  spring  application. 

WINTER    WHEAT. 

If  the  soil  is  acid,  lime  should  be  applied  as  for  seeding  to  grass, 
and 

Fine  Ground  Bone 300  to  400  pounds  per  acre, 

or  Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock   ..200  to  300        "  " 

used  at  time  of  seeding.  In  the  spring,  top-dress  with  120  pounds  of 
nitrate  of  soda  per  acre.  If  the  soil  is  known  to  be  deficient  in  potash, 
120  pounds  of  muriate  of  potash  should  be  applied  at  time  of  sowing. 

WINTER    RYE. 

The  same  fertilizer  may  be  used  for  rye  as  for  wheat,  except 
that  rye  is  less  dependent  upon  the  lime  than  is  wheat.  Rye  can  with- 
stand the  unfavorable  conditions  of  an  acid  soil  fairly  well,  and  will 
generally  produce  a  crop,  especially  if  top-dressed  in  early  spring  with 
120  pounds  of  nitrate  of  soda  per  acre. 

OATS. 

The  following  formula  has  been  used  for  the  oat  crop,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  "rotations,"  at  the  Rhode  Island  Experiment  Station  : 

Nitrate  of  Soda 200  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock  , 176         "  " 

Fine  Ground  Bone 180         "  " 

Muriate  of  Potash 120         "  " 

The  above  should  give  a  good  crop  upon  soil  of  moderate  quality. 
BARLEY    AND    BEETS. 

The  following  formula  has  been  used  upon  acid  soils,  in  connec- 
tion with  work  performed  by  the  Rhode  Island  Experiment  Station  in 


AS    A    FERTILIZER.  65 

different  parts  of  the  State.    In  each  case  the  soil  received,  in  addition, 
a  dressing  of  two  and  a  half  tons  of  air-slaked  lime  per  acre 

Nitrate  of  Soda 300  pounds  per  acre. 

Muriate  of  Potash 300         "  " 

Dissolved  Bone-Black 900         "  " 

The  equivalent  of  the  bone-black  in  dissolved  phosphate  rock 
might  frequently  be  more  economical. 

MANGELS    AFTER    CLOVER. 

This  land  was  limed  at  the  rate  of  two  and  a  half  tons  per  acre, 
previous  to  seeding  to  clover.  Lime  should  always  be  used  upon  acid 
soils  before  attempting  to  grow  beets  of  any  variety. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 360  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock 840         "  " 

Muriate  of  Potash 300         "  " 

PEAS. 

The  following  formula  has  produced  good  crops  of  peas  in  one  of 
the  rotations  at  the  Rhode  Island  Experiment  Station  : 

Nitrate  of  Soda 120  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock    397         "  " 

Muriate  of  Potash    135         "  " 

GARDEN    CROPS    AND    VINES. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 450  pounds  per  acre. 

Fine  Ground  Bone 500         "  " 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock    ,  .500        "  " 

Muriate  of  Potash 300         "  " 

When  successive  crops  are  grown  upon  the  same  land  in  one  sea- 
son, additional  applications  of  fertilizer  will  be  required.  Top-dress- 
ing all  crops  valued  for  the  leaf  growtli,  as  cabbage,  celery,  lettuce, 
etc.,  with  nitrate  of  soda  will  greatly  increase  the  growth. 

TURNIPS. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 120  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock 331         "  " 

Fine  Ground  Bone 240         "  '' 

Muriate  of  Potash 150         "  " 


66  NITRATE    OF    SODA 

ASPARAGUS. 

This  plant  fails,  or  produces  but  a  feeble  growth,  upon  an  acid 
soil  without  lime.  Two  tons,  or  more,  per  acre  of  air-slaked  lime  can 
be  safely  applied  if  a  soil  shows  much  acidity. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 450  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock 500         "  " 

Fine  Ground  Bone 400         ''  " 

Muriate  of  Potash 300         "  " 

If  the  soil  is  deficient  in  potash,  the  quantity  used  in  the  formula 
should  be  considerably  increased.  One  half  of  this  fertilizer  may  be 
applied  and  worked  into  the  soil  in  the  early  spring,  and  the  remain- 
der, just  before  cutting  ceases,  and  the  permanent  summer  growth 
begins.  A  vigorous  growth  of  top  through  the  summer  and  fall  is 
desirable,  as  the  roots  are  then  prepared  to  send  up  an  abundant  crop 
of  shoots  the  following  spring. 

INDIAN    CORN,    No.    i. 

Nitrate  of  Soda 225  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock   420         "  " 

Fine  Ground  Bone 150         "  " 

Muriate  of  Potash   120         "  " 

INDIAN    CORN,    No.    2. 

Muriate  of  Potash 180  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock 550         "  " 

Nitrate  of  Soda 250        "  " 

IRISH    POTATOES. 

The  fertilizer  used  in  growing  potatoes  upon  plot  38,  in  a  fertil- 
izer experiment  with  potatoes  at  the  Rhode  Island  Experiment  Sta- 
tion, was  composed  of  the  following  : 

Nitrate  of  Soda. 344  pounds  per  acre. 

Dissolved  Phosphate  Rock 875         "  '• 

Muriate  of  Potash 215         "  " 

On  many  soils,  high  grade  sulfate  of  potash  in  place  of  the  muri- 
ate would  probably  give  an  equally  good  crop,  and  the  quality  of  the 
tubers  might  be  better.  Li'/ac  should  not  be  used  with,  or  just  preceding, 
the  potato  crop,  for,  although  it  has   a  tendency  to  slightly  increase 


AS    A    FERTILIZER.  67 

the  crop,  and  especially  the  proportion  of  marketable  tubers,  the  neu- 
tral or  alkaline  condition  of  the  soil,  which  it  creates,  is  highly  favor- 
able to  the  development  of  the  "scab"  fungus,  and  a  "scabby"  crop 
is  likely  to  follow  its  use.  If  the  ''  scab  "  germ  is  not  present  in  the  soil, 
and  the  seed  tubers  are  so  thoroughly  disinfected  that  it  is  /lot  introduced 
upon  them,  then  potatoes  may  be  safely  grown  upon  freshly-limed 
land. 

The  formulas  given  above  are  not  intended  as  "  hard  and  fast 
rules"  under  all  circumstances,  but  as  suggestions  which  the  prudent 
cultivator  may  safely  adapt  to  his  individual  circumstances. 

Nitrate  of  soda  usually  furnishes  from  15  to  16  per  cent,  of  nitro- 
gen, /.  e.,  15  to  16  pounds  in  every  100  pounds  of  material.  Muriate 
of  potash  yields  about  50  per  cent,  of  actual  potash.  The  phosphatic 
materials  are  much  more  variable  in  composition,  but  dissolved  bone- 
black  contains,  generally,  from  15  to  16  per  cent,  of  available  phos- 
phoric acid  ;  dissolved  phosphate  rock  about  13  per  cent.,  although 
different  lots  may  vary  from  11  to  17  per  cent.,  of  available  phosphoric 
acid.  Fine  ground  bone  has  about  2  per  cent,  of  nitrogen  and  some 
20  to  27  per  cent  of  total  phosphoric  acid  ;  slag  meal,  about  18  per 
cent,  of  total  phosphoric  acid,  and  floats,  about  26  per  cent.  In  pre- 
paring the  foregoing  formulas,  the  relative  cost  and  efficiency  of  the 
phosphatic  materials,  as  well  as  the  actual  content  of  phosphoric  acid, 
has  been  considered. 


For  full  information  in  regard  to  Nitrate  of 
Soda  as  a  Fertilizer  apply  to  address  below.  All 
publications  furnished  free. 

PROPAGANDA  FOR  NITRATE  OF  SODA, 

12   JOHN    STREET, 

NEW    YORK   CITY. 


INDEX. 

PAGE 

Composition  of  Nitrate 67 

Cost  of  Fertilizers  (table  showing). . 9 

Cost  of  Fertilizer  per  acre 6,  7 

Cost  of  Nitrogen  per  acre 7 

Cost  of  Sulphate  of  Ammonia  per  acre 7 

Cost  of  Dried  Blood  per  acre 7 

Experiment  Farm 9 

Experiment  Abbott's  Run 13 

Experiment  Hope  Valley  (Corn) 16 

Experiment  Summary,   Kingston  (Corn) 12 

Experiments,  Westerly,  R.  I. ,   (Corn) 22 

Experiments  with  Barley 57 

Experiments,  Noose  Neck  (Corn) 24 

Experiments,  Kingston  (Com) g 

Experiments,  Jamestown  (Corn) 27 

Experiments  with  Variety  Crops 31 

Experiments  with  Crass 43 

Experiments  with  Nursery  Stock 47 

Experiments  with  Potatoes 51,   53 

Field  Trials 9 

Formula  Asparagus 66 

Formula  Barley  and  Beets 64 

Formula  for  Experimental  Plats 6,  7,  8 

Formula  for  Grass,   Fall  Seeding 63 

Formula  for  Garden  Crops  and  Vines :     65 

Formula  for  Indian  Corn - 66 

Formula  for  Irish  Potatoes 66 

Formula  for  Mangels  after  Clover 65 

Formula  for  Oats 64 

Formula  for  Peas 65 

Formula  for  Turnips 65 

Formula  for  Winter  Rye 64 

Formula  for  Winter  Wheat 64 

Full  Ration  Nitrate  of  Soda 6,  7,  8 

Full  Ration  Sulphate  of  Ammonia 7,  S 

Full  Ration  Dried  Blood 7,  8 

Hope  Valley  Experiment  (Corn) 16 

Mixed  Minerals,  Composition  of 6 

Mixed  Minerals,  Cost  of 6 

Notes  and  Conclusions,  Experiment  Station  Farm 11 

Notes  and  Conclusions,  Hope  Valley 18 


PAGE 

Notes  and  Conclusions,  Westerly  (Corn) 22 

Plans  of  Experiments   5 

Purpose  of  Experiments 5 

Pot  Experiments '. 53 

Ration  per  Acre '. 6 

Summary  Kingston   Experiment  (Com) 12 

Summary  of  Total  Yields  in  Four  Years  (Com) 21 

Summary  Com,  Abbott's  Run 15 

Seeding  to  Grass 62 

Suggestions  Regarding  Use  of  Nitrate  of  Soda  and  Lime 61 

Summaiy,  Westerly  Experiments  (Com) 24 

Table  Showing  Results,  Hope  Valley  (Com) 17 

Table  Showing  Yield  of  Com  on  Station  Farm 10 

LIST    OR    CUTS. 


PAGE 

Alfalfa 40 

Barley 60 

Blue  Lupine 46 

Cabbage 33 

Cantaloupe 31 

Celery 37 

Cow  Pea 31 

Dandelion 39 

Early  Cabbage 42 

Field  Com 11 

Field  Com  (Maize) 20 

German  Millet . .  40 

Kohl-Rabi '. 41 

Lettuce 35 

Mangel  Wurzel 33 

Oats 55 

Potatoes 52 

Spring  Rye 54 

Sunflower 4S 

Sorghum 37 

Sugar  Beets 36 

Soja  Bean 32 

Sweet  Vernal  Grass 47 

Sweet  Corn  (Maize) 44 

Table  Beets 36 

Timothy 44 

Watermelons 42 

Yellow  Carrot  (Danvers) 50 

Yellow  Onions 41 


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